The good news for the All Blacks

South Africa completed a 2-0 home sweep over the All Blacks with a six-point win in Cape Town, adding to their four-point win in Johannesburg.

In the process they claimed their first Freedom Cup in 15 years and have all but sealed their first full-sized Rugby Championship in 15 years with two rounds remaining.

The last time they won those trophies, 2009, they completed three in a row over New Zealand. This current crop are now holding a current streak of four.

The Twickenham beatdown against 14 in the cash-grab friendly, the 15 on 14 World Cup final, last week's All Blacks' bench meltdown with the Bongi charity, and now the Cape Town grind became the latest on the list.

The last time the Springboks won four or more in a row against New Zealand was between 1937 and 1949 where South Africa won six on the trot, 75 years ago.

In Cape Town the All Blacks attack shape found momentum early, opening up South Africa on the edge multiple times but failed to convert.

Will Jordan blew a golden opportunity by taking on Cheslin Kolbe one-on-one 10 metres from the line. Outside him Sevu Reece had a one-on-one with fullback Willie le Roux, racing up from the backfield to close, but the ball didn't go.

Reece, one of Super Rugby's best finishers this year, was half a chance from 10 metres out and lots of width to work with. Jordan was then turned at the ruck and the Boks cleared their lines.

A burst up the middle inside the Boks' 22 by Codie Taylor was undone by cynical cheating by Jasper Wiese, pulling down the inside support runner Cortez Ratima five metres early.

Ratima with more speed was a chance to separate from Wiese and take the last pass from Taylor to score under the sticks.

Wiese's shameless play saved the Boks four points as the All Blacks settled for three. The Bok No 8 earned a yellow card for the illegal play but the punishment didn't do the crime justice.

Although the All Blacks couldn't find the try line, they controlled the match defensively. South Africa's scrum was difficult to handle early, but they got a handle on it. Their maul was stopped multiple times. They had monstered the Springboks at the breakdown.

Scott Barrett and Sam Cane won crucial ruck penalties to snuff out two Springbok raids from the five in the first 20 minutes. Cortez Ratima had one on Wiese near the sideline. Codie Taylor added a fourth minutes from half-time.

The visitors ground out a 9-3 half-time lead on the back of three Damian McKenzie penalties, before the home side arrested control in the second half.

The All Blacks came out for the second half and failed to grasp the contest. There seemed to be a hopeless malaise from the restart.

A Ratima box kick put the Springboks back into their own half after the ball was fumbled backward. The All Blacks should have had the ascendency and intent to push them back further.

The defensive line looked lazy and ill disciplined less than two minutes into the half.

Ardie Savea and Tyrel Lomax turned their backs on Damian de Allende stepping inside, circling backward and running towards their own goal posts, happy to concede metres. Codie Taylor slipped off the tackle and left it to Tupou Vaa'i.

You can say they are playing a passive drift defence, but the fundamental execution of it is lazy with players cutting corners showing bad habits.

Almost by accident, De Allende became isolated because he made so many metres. He was pinned by Scott Barrett, who won a holding on penalty.

Despite being inside their own half, the All Blacks then took an optimistic long range shot at goal that McKenzie missed, falling well short.

The lack of daring and conservative approach was unlike New Zealand sides. It showed a lack of belief in what they are doing on attack, which admittedly, is not clicking.

But it's also hard to justify backing the defence and kicking long range threes when they shipped 31 points last week and gave up a 10 point lead.

At 9-3 early in the second half with such a low percentage shot at goal on offer, kicking to the line and throwing a punch would have been better in this bout.

An early second half try to 16-3 really would have put scoreboard pressure on. A higher percentage shot may have also come. They just didn't believe they could do it.

From the missed penalty, South Africa cleared and Will Jordan was turned again at the breakdown after running back the kick. The Boks played a wide-wide game with confidence, getting out of their half.

Having been marched back significantly, Tamaiti Williams was pinged for not rolling and the Boks continued to roll the dice.

After turning down multiple shots at goal already, the Boks' strategy of kicking to the corner almost became a necessity with the All Blacks six in front.

A power-packed surge from a typical Boks' launch, with forwards around the corner until the line breaks, resulted in a try to captain Siya Kolisi and all of a sudden the lead evaporated just like that. That score propelled the Springboks into the lead by 10-9.

It took awhile to knock the door down but they did eventually, while the All Blacks weren't brave enough to try. That 10 minute period of poor rugby cost them 40 minutes of gritty good.

Down 13-9 the All Blacks did kick to the corner the next time, and made waves with their launch, working down inside the five.

Centre Rieko Ioane, back on the left wing at this stage, was used to link on the opposite side with Sevu Reece on the first phase. The issue is Ioane never went back to his left wing.

When they worked back to the left five phases later, Will Jordan had an open 15 metre channel outside him ready to draw the last man Le Roux.

There was no winger or any other player available. It was a classic winger's try for the All Blacks' teams of old and a basic finish for the calibre of a player like Ioane.

They settled for three this time and missed their chance to find seven.

The game remained a tight affair with key long-range misses at goal by McKenzie costly, until a try by Malcolm Marx detaching from the maul late got their noses in front.

The biggest issue with this All Blacks side currently is their attack chemistry. The cohesion is up and down, with poor timing, poor running lines, and poor passing all too common.

They don't look as prepared as the team did under former assistant Joe Schmidt, looking more like the side under Brad Mooar. The chopping and changing with selections isn't helping.

Mark Tele'a looked like he didn't want to be there and he replaced Caleb Clarke after two tries last week, a player with power that is sorely needed. Will Jordan was ordinary at fullback, showing again he's got a long way to go.

There was also plenty of good in that second Test, they had the edge at the set-piece and at the breakdown. The maul defence tightened right up and took away the Boks' strength.

Individually, Wallace Sititi was exceptional and offered something new, his ball carrying gave the All Blacks momentum and consistent gain line. Tupou Vaa'i continues to elevate his standing at the international level.

But the team doesn't have enough confidence or chemistry in what they are doing with ball-in-hand. Captain Scott Barrett dropping the ball cold and getting smacked in the face with the ball 10 metres from the try line with the game on the line sums up the state of the side.

The good news is they are operating far below their potential and were only a try away from beating the Springboks twice.

The home side were tough, but hardly playing at a benchmark level themselves. They were plagued by poor handling and cheap turnovers for most of the game. They arrested control through power and the All Blacks' own ill discipline.

Razor needs to find a way to lift this team's mood as they don't seem to be enjoying what they are doing out there.