Australia (13) 23: Tries: Coleman, Foley; Conversions: Foley (2); Penalties: Foley (3)
South Africa (14) 17: Tries: Whiteley, Goosen; Conversions: Jantjies (2); Penalty: Steyn
The Wallabies ended a six match winless run when they beat a blundering Springbok side 23-17 in a Rugby Championship match in Brisbane today.
Both teams scored two tries, the Boks leading 14-13 at the break, but the Wallabies enjoyed a strong second half to hand the Boks their second straight defeat. They lost to Argentina in their last outing.
It was another poor effort by Allister Coetzee’s team – they lacked in discipline, ideas and were poor in their decision-making, too. They kicked poorly out of hand and gifted the Australians possession and failed to ask any real questions with ball in hand at the back.
The Boks, though, started brilliantly with No 8 Warren Whiteley going over for a try as early as the third minute. He ran a great line close to the whitewash after the visitors had turned the ball over on half-way and attacked strongly down the blindside.
It didn’t take long though for the Wallabies to hit back; Bernard Foley kicking an 11th minute penalty, but the visitors would soon be back in charge after an excellent turn-over, again and counter-attack by the Boks.
With the Wallaby camped in Bok territory and Quade Cooper looking threatening, Bok skipper Adriaan Strauss found himself in the right place at the right time – that is, in the middle of the Australian backline – and his intercept and off-load to Elton Jantjies allowed the Boks to turn a defensive situation into an attacking one.
Jantjies broke free and kicked the ball into open space behind the Australian defenders and it sat up perfectly for a charging Johan Goosen who went over under the uprights. The conversion put the Boks 14-3 in front.
At that stage the visitors were the dominant team, winning good lineout ball, holding their own in defence and asking a few questions with ball in hand. They also competed well at the breakdown and certainly didn’t allow the highly-fancied Michael Hooper and David Pocock to have their way.
But the Aussies took full advantage of a good period for them around the half hour mark when Will Genia found rookie lock Adam Coleman out wide, who crashed over for a try, and a further Foley penalty made it a one-point game at the break.
A lack of discipline by the Boks put them on the back foot and allowed the Wallabies to slowly gain control of a game they looked to be absent from in the early stages. And that ill-discipline would cost them big-time after the resumption after half-time when Eben Etzebeth was sin-binned for failing to roll away at a ruck.
The penalty given away by the big lock resulted in another three points for the Wallabies who took the lead for the first time in the match in the 42nd minute. And it could have been a whole lot worse had Goosen not pulled off a try-saving tackle a few minutes later on centre Samu Kerevi.
The Wallabies though would get their second try on 62 minutes when Foley ran a good line and powered past Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jantjies to dot down, but it was a six-point game with just over 10 minutes to go when replacement No 10 Morne Steyn struck a penalty for the Boks.
There would, however, be no further scoring as the Wallabies hung on for the victory; the Boks now head to Christchurch for a date with the rollicking All Blacks. How they must be quaking in their boots.
Independent Media