Australia: Dig deep to beat Boks
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Australia bagged their first win in the Rugby Championship after seeing off South Africa 26-19 at Perth's Patersons Stadium on Saturday.
Both sides desperately needed a win to have any chance of catching the All Blacks in the race for the trophy, and were under pressure to deliver.
With the scores locked at 19-19, the Wallabies showed more composure and celebrated a Ben Alexander try in the 70th minute that ultimately secured a much-needed victory for the hosts.
As for the Springboks, who led 13-6 at half-time, it's back to the drawing board as they face an even tougher assignment against the All Blacks next weekend.
It was Australia's fifth straight win over the South Africans and moves the Wallabies off the bottom of the Rugby Championship standings and above newcomers Argentina. South Africa didn't leave Perth empty-handed though after securing a losing bonus point.
Victory for the home side may have come at a cost, however, as they suffered extensive injuries - most notably to that of captain Will Genia who was forced from the field in some distress.
The visitors started the match with a roar and hiss, putting several eight-plus phases together before pivot Morne Steyn made up for an early missed drop-goal attempt with a well-struck penalty to open the scoring in the third minute.
Berrick Barnes leveled proceedings with a three-pointer of his own, but the Boks hit back with a try after flyer Bryan Habana crashed over from close range and South Africa were well on top at 13-3 following Steyn's converson and a 55m penalty shot from his namesake Frans.
Barnes closed the gap slightly with his second successful penalty attempt, and the Boks did well to keep Australia scoreless for 10 minutes when prop Beast Mtawarira was sin-binned for foul play.
The Wallabies were a different kettle of fish after the break and continued to bank three-pointers whenever they ventured into South Africa's half. The alarm bells started ringing in the Springbok camp ain the 56th minute after Wallabies super-sub Scott Higginbotham burst through for a try just two minutes after coming onto the field.
Barnes slotted over the conversion to give his team the lead for the first time in the match (16-13).
Long-range penalty specialist Frans Steyn launched another penalty kick from near the halfway line to put South Africa level (16-16), before Barnes' reliable boot once again put Australia in front.
Morne Steyn gave Bok supporters a glimmer of hope after tying the scores yet again (19-19) in the 60th minute. But South Africa had no answer for Alexander, who made a 15m charge down the blindside to touch down in the left-hand corner - confirmed by the TMO.
Barnes converted from the sideline, It was to the be the last score of the game, a late surge for an equalising try by the Springboks ending with a penalty to Australia in the dying seconds.
Man of the match: Lock Sitaleki Timani was named the official man of the match, but we felt the unerring accuracy of Berrick Barnes - who was six-from-six with the boot - takes the cake.
Moment of the match: Ben Alexander's inspirational late try not only lifted Australia to a crucial victory, but also easeed pressure on coach Robbie Deans.
Villain of the match: The Boks can thank their lucky stars they didn't concede a single point after Beast Mtawarira's yellow card after he ran into Kurtley Beale off the ball.
The scorers:
For Australia:
Tries: Higginbotham, Alexander
Cons: Barnes 2
Pens: Barnes 4
For South Africa:
Try: Habana
Con: M Steyn
Pens: M Steyn 2, F Steyn 2
Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Dominic Shipperley, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia (c), 8 Radike Samo, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 James Slipper, 18 Scott Higginbotham, 19 Liam Gill, 20 Nick Phipps, 21 Mike Harris, 22 Anthony Fainga'a.
South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jean de Villiers (c), 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Francois Hougaard 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Francois Louw, 20 Johan Goosen, 21 Pat Lambie, 22 Lwazi Mvovo.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Comments
SACanuck says...
Congrats Australia, well played. I just thought that Bok brick wall was awsome!!! Tell you what Austrslia if you don't want Deans SA sure could use him
Posted 18:40 08th September 2012
daibok says...
Well done Oz. The better of 2 poor teams playing poor tactics.
And by the way - Sharpe was as solid as ever.
Posted 18:17 08th September 2012
Houston_11 says...
I mentioned on a previous article that Sharpe shouldn't be in the team as he no longer has the engine for international rugby. How vindicated I feel after that performance.... Penalty machine!
Looking at the game I think Aus deserved to win - positive attitude for 80minutes. SA mentality is so depressing to watch... People here complain about the ref!? Get your team tactics sorted first before looking for excuses.
Quade Cooper was solid and had some nice distribution throughout the game... Good to see his improvement.
Posted 17:26 08th September 2012
JayStarr says...
Told you so...
Posted 17:19 08th September 2012
eccles says...
Nice to see South African fans not blaming the ref this time, with one exception, and you know who you are, Carpelone. The trouble with the Wallabies squad is that with so many Waratahs players getting the long overdue boot and being replaced with Reds, I can no longer refer to the Wallatahs or Warabies. Somehow the Rabies doesn't have the same ring to it. AAC should be in record books for his double tackle while practising for the long jump, and special mention to Alexander (at last, a Brumby starter) for his 18 metre sprint to the line. No doubt by 2020 it will become an 80m jinking run.
Posted 16:53 08th September 2012
ManWarrior says...
Aaaaaggghhhh!!! Booorrriiinnnggg!!!! I rather have the Boks loose but play with passion, vision and continuity! @melkdave.."One thing that must happen is questions have to be asked of HM about his vision for the future and what he needs to achieve it." I couldn't agree more! I thought HM would be the one to bring vision and stability but it looks more and more like the Bokke are becoming more timid and clueless.
I'm not sure the Auzzies and Kiwis understand our frustration. Let me put it to you like this metaphor: Springbok rugby is like having 15 Hussain Bolts' but lacking the coaches to pick, invision, harness and sustain the talent to fruition! If we lacked the talent or were never great then this would be easier to deal with! Go Bokke!
Posted 16:41 08th September 2012
Ramage says...
As expected the conservative game plan of Meyer is limiting Bok Rugby. Geez even PDV had them functioning better. When their mindless kicking game is halted then they have nowhere else to go. It should be the Saffas who are calling for the head of their coach for the game plan his team is playing is outdated and backward. The man is demented did you see him lose the plot when The Beast was sin binned, not the actions of a man in control.
So it was Deans who should be sacked as suggested by those fly by night Oz fans who couldn't admit the team was beaten by a better All Black team. Sure Carpelone SA was beaten by a mediocre OZ team. So what does that say about the Saffas. Oh once again the ref is to blame. Will you be starting a ban Nigel Owens facebook page that will allow everyone in the Republic to sigh up and vent their spleen. Interesting a mediocre OZ team and a biased ref beat your team. So what part did the Saffa players play in their downfall ? Or the woeful tactics that they were made to play to by the coach now known as Maniacal Meyer. Easy to blame others.
Shame to see Genia leave the field hope all is well with him, the curse of the OZ captains. Never mind it was interesting to see who became captain when Genia left the field. None other than that useless player known as N Sharpe. You know the one who is criticised ad nauseum on here in every post a certain guy sends here. Interesting that his experience is called on in the hour of need. Well maybe if Genia cant play next week and Sharpe is named as Captain (lol georgesmith) then you will get your wish and Sharpie will finally leave the team. For as Captain he is sure to be injured.
It will be interesting to see whether the head butt is cited, though not terribly effective the intent was there and there is no place for that thuggery in the game.
Posted 16:24 08th September 2012
Trader2 says...
Well got that wrong there is a better rabble than Australia. Bad luck for georgesmith and Trinats, Deans gets to stay a bit longer. Thought the Wannabies showed a bit more commtiment tonight especially in the forwards and if their backs would just stop kicking like headless chooks they may get something going, I think they will give the Argies a bit of a touchup now....maybe. Sad to see Genia injured, looks nasty, losing him will be a big blow.
Posted 16:15 08th September 2012
Wallaroo says...
Well great win today, wasn't expected but I'm thrilled. Didn't think the Saffa's could produce a worse coach than Pdivvy. Great watching a game of 1980 verses 2012, and even better the 5th lose to an under-performing Wallaby side.
Posted 15:57 08th September 2012
RUGBYorDIE says...
Bring back Divvy
Posted 15:41 08th September 2012
boksmashoffice says...
Bok rugby at an all time low. Very sad to say as a Bokke fan. HM needs to play Lambie and Goosen next week. I was so excited when HM gor the job, now I am thinking this guy is doing damage to the long term future. The backs coach has to go. There was no plan on scoring. We butchered a few tries in that match. I would play Burden ahead of Liebenberg. We will have to front up and be counted next week. I can't see JDV being a Bok next year. Bring back Jacque Fourie from Japan. We are really missing him.
Posted 15:37 08th September 2012
three6three6 says...
What a very poor quality rugby union match.....
The BOKKE blew this one..... the Wallabies were slightly better in the second half.... but there was a lack of real ambition from either team and far too much aimless kicking of the football...
By the way, Owens refereed the match really well.... he is a very good referee! When the players make a basic error like Slipper did (when binding in front of the player catching the ball from a kick off) they should expect to be penalised and there should not be any grumbling from commentators about pedantic refereeing! This was simply an example of an international quality rugby player making a basic schoolboy error.
Bad sportsmanship has never had any place in rugby union. The booing from spectators was very poor indeed.
Posted 15:37 08th September 2012
new_j4a says...
Congrats Oz...haven't watched the game yet, but assume that the anti ref remarks are just the usual non specific rubbish from people who have no idea.
Posted 15:07 08th September 2012
Fatflanker says...
...the silence is deafening.
Posted 14:47 08th September 2012
Carpelone says...
That was annoying. The Boks lack leadership and allowed a very mediocre Australian team to come from behind, with the hep of the ref.
The Boks should have won this anyway, there will never be a weaker Australian team.
De Villiers, M. Steyn, Kirchner, Du Plessis please do not show again.
Beast, you behaved like an idiot and, if it was on me, you would have got substituted for the rest of the tour.
Posted 14:44 08th September 2012
scot_rsa says...
Abject from the Boks. PdV was unsackable but Meyer will need to look over his shoulder and rightly so. Morne can not come back until he's had a good break but probably never. Tired of saying it. What on earth is Loubscher paid for? Listening to Meyer and tugging his forelock? Bring on the future.
Posted 14:33 08th September 2012
kooper says...
Very frustrating game to watch for any Bok supporter. Why does the current team insist on just gifting the ball back to the opposing team whenever they have possession!? Why weren't Morne Steyn and Zane Kirchner subbed sooner!? And what in the name of all that is good and holy was that little foot thing, Lwazi Mvovo? Were you trying to trip the ball or something!?
Get your act together Springboks! If you're going to lose, at least lose playing good Rugby.
Posted 14:28 08th September 2012
melkdave says...
Well 1st off congraulations Australia ,their best performance of the season so far.Fronted up made their 1st up tackles,stayed in touch,and eventually got the counter punch wining try..Did the game go as i expected NO but then im only human,and will get things wrong at times .As for the bokke,well started well in the 1st half,looked like they would dominate territory and possesion,but failed completly in the end to do either kicked away to much ball imo,and allowed the wallabies to work themselves into feild posistion.,and score points.The persistance with M.Styen is backfiring bigtime even on good days his to limited,and bringing on Goosen and Lambie and Louw ,with just 10 mins left and chacing the game ,was much to late ,though the bokke looked better keeping ball in hand imho.HM and co now have to start again if they want any progress for SA this season,G.Aplon and JdeJ need to come into the squad ,and either DeVillers or F.Styen need to go to the bench.They are to simlar ,and cancel eachothers strengths out ,rather than compliment them i think.One thing that must happen is questions have to be asked of HM about his vision for the future and what he needs to achive it.Personnally id like R.Erassmus involed somewhere in the backroom staff,and less blue bulls type rugby,Its ok for a basic foundation,but no where near good enough these days for consistent wining rugby,espically at international leval.
Posted 14:02 08th September 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
Kurtley grabbing Quade mid hump.
Good win though and helped NZ.
Lots of boo'ing however. Probably more than I ever heard before
Posted 13:54 08th September 2012
ClarKent says...
"We do not expect a drastic change in the somewhat limited kick and charge plan from the Boks..." from your Preview. Houtkop Meyer lived up to expectation or someone threw in some kryptonite described by Wikipedia as "the one weakness of an otherwise invulnerable hero". Vat jou hoed en trek...! (translation, take your had and leave...)
Posted 13:47 08th September 2012