Quinn Tupaea celebrates his try with Wallace Sititi. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
New Zealand made a fast start, scoring in the opening few minutes, with wing Emoni Narawa diving to catch a crossfield kick, before beating the cover defence for the first try of the test. First-five Beauden Barrett's conversion was successful to put the hosts out 7-0.
Narawa left the field soon after, suffering what appeared to be a leg injury, with Damian McKenzie going to fullback and Will Jordan switching to the wing.
The All Blacks doubled their lead midway through the first half, with Jordan running a nice line off the inside of No.8 Wallace Sititi after a lineout to slice through the Springboks defence and score next the posts.
Will Jordan of New Zealand scores a try. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
South Africa were the next to score, with first-five Handre Pollard kicking a penalty goal to cut the All Blacks lead to 14-3.
The game tightened up in the last part of the half, with both sides giving away penalties, although the score wouldn't change, with the All Blacks leading by 11 points at halftime.
New Zealand were the first to score in the second half, with McKenzie kicking a penalty goal to put the hosts ahead by two converted tries.
The Springboks wouldn't lie down and scored a close-range try, after winning a tighthead against the All Blacks defensive scrum. The conversion was good, cutting the All Blacks lead to 17-10 with about 20 minutes to go.
The All Blacks went on the offensive from the kickoff and forced South Africa into giving away a penalty on their line, with the offending player yellow carded.
The hosts took advantage of the shorthanded opposition and scored through replacement midfielder Quinn Tupaea, after peppering the visitors tryline. The try next to the posts was converted, with the All Blacks up by 14 points once more at 24-10.
Reserve halfback Kyle Preston came off the bench for his All Blacks debut, replacing Finlay Christie for the final 12 minutes.
The Springboks were never about to give up and scored the next try to peg the All Blacks back again, 24-17 with five minutes remaining.
The All Blacks would hold on, with loose forward Ardie Savea, playing his 100th test, securing a turnover penalty near the tryline to thwart a South African attack.
Final score 24-17 to the All Blacks, with the second test between the two sides next weekend in Wellington.
Read how the game unfolded here:
Team lists
All Blacks: 1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Scott Barrett (c), 5. Tupou Vaa'i, 6. Simon Parker, 7. Ardie Savea, 8. Wallace Sititi, 9. Finlay Christie, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Rieko Ioane, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Billy Proctor, 14. Emoni Narawa, 15. Will Jordan
Bench: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17. Tamaiti Williams, 18. Tyrel Lomax, 19. Fabian Holland, 20. Du'Plessis Kirifi, 21. Kyle Preston, 22. Quinn Tupaea, 23. Damian McKenzie
Springboks: 1. Ox Nche, 2. Malcolm Marx, 3. Thomas du Toit, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 5. Ruan Nortje, 6. Marco van Staden, 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8. Siya Kolisi, 9. Grant Williams, 10. Handre Pollard, 11. Canan Moodie, 12. Damian de Allende, 13. Jesse Kriel (c), 14. Cheslin Kolbe, 15. Willie le Roux
Bench: 16. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17. Boan Venter, 18. Wilco Louw, 19. Lood de Jager, 20. Kwagga Smith, 21. Cobus Reinach, 22. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23. Ethan Hooker
