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Springboks 'rain' supreme to drown Wallabies' hopes of shock win
By AAP
South Africa’s B team have come up trumps in Perth’s big wet, with the world champions scoring four tries to nil to secure a 30-12 win over the Wallabies.
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In a Rugby Championship match blighted by periods of driving rain, the Wallabies only trailed 11-9 at halftime in front of 58,197 fans at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.
But the Springboks piled on three tries from rolling mauls in the second half to secure the bonus-point victory.
South Africa achieved the comprehensive win despite making 10 changes to their starting line-up from last week’s 33-7 win over the Wallabies in Brisbane.
Heavy rain in Perth throughout Saturday meant smart rugby was needed on the slippery surface, and the Wallabies largely failed the test during the opening 20 minutes.
Noah Lolesio’s third-minute penalty got the Wallabies on the board early.
But they gave up field position a minute later when Andrew Kellaway tried to catch a bullet kick, only for it to slip through his fingers and go into touch.
Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete’s attempted chip and chase would have led to a South Africa try if not for Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s fumble with the try line in sight.
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And Lolesio’s audacious cross-field kick in defence that was picked off by Springboks winger Makazole Mapimpi almost proved disastrous, with only a try-saving tackle from Tom Wright keeping South Africa at bay.
A Wallabies fumble in attack led to South Africa’s first try in the 17th minute, with the Springboks racing the ball forward before a dribble kick allowed fullback Aphelele Fassi to dive over.
Two Lolesio penalties – including a tough 45m effort from near the touch line – reduced the deficit to 11-9 late in the half.
And the Wallabies would have entered the break with a one-point lead if not for Lolesio missing a straightforward penalty after the siren.
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Wallabies skipper Allan Alaalatoa copped an accidental elbow from teammate Len Ikitau on the stroke of halftime, and he was replaced by Zane Nonggorr after the break.
Returning prop Angus Bell was also brought off at halftime in a move that thrust James Slipper into the action.
Slipper’s stint lasted just eight minutes before he was ruled out with concussion.
South Africa extended their lead to 18-9 early in the second half when flanker Marco van Staden crashed over from a rolling maul, before Lolesio’s fourth penalty closed the margin back to six points.
Hunter Paisami limped off in the 48th minute with a left leg issue, bringing on Max Jorgensen for his Test debut.
It meant Jorgensen and his father Peter became the 14th father-son pairing to feature for the Wallabies.
The Springboks opened up a 23-12 lead in the 63rd minute courtesy of another rolling maul from a line-out, with substitute Malcolm Marx touching down this time.
Any hopes of an Australian victory evaporated in the 73rd minute when Seru Uru was sin-binned and Marx scored his second try from the next play – again from a rolling maul.
I can't understand how a top tier rugby union international match can have uncontested scrubs for half the game because a team failed to provide sufficient reserves for front row players. There should be a stiff sanction if a team can't play by the rules.
That is utter nonsense. Australia had sufficent reserves and played by the rules. The rules were non -contested scrums. The injuries hurt Australia far more than they hurt SA.
Fassi had a great game. Stoked.
Morne van den burg was poor. Grant Williams has emerged from this tour as our best scrum half.
PSDT is worth two Antoine Duponts. The best player in the world for a second year in a row.
Lukhanyo was a nuisance at 12. Great game.
Pollard coming of the bench is a fabulous luxury. So composed. Key players have shown good form going in to the Kiwi Tour.
Injuries aside - first test against ABs based on what we’ve seen so far:
1. Ox
2. Marx
3. Koch
4. Eben
5. Nortje
6. Siya (c)
7. PSDT
8. Louw
9. Williams
10. Pollard
11. KLA
12. DDA
13. Am
14. Kolbe
15. WLR
16. Mbonambi
17. Malherbe
18. du Toit
19. RG Snyman
20. Dixon
21. Kwagga
22. Faf/Reinach
23. SFM
Imagine this for fun:
1. Ox
2. Bongi
3. Frans
4. Eben
5. RG
6. Siya
7. PSDT
8. Kwagga
9. Cobus
10. Manie
11. KLA
12. Handre
13. Am
14. Cheslin
15 WLR
16. Marx
17. Koch
18. Du Toit
19. Nortje
20. Dixon
21. Williams
22. SFM
23. Jesse
No ways Nortje should be ahead if RG. Steenekamp ahead of du Toit and Faf is injured. Other than that good team.
Nonsense Boet, Morne van den burg was not poor.
Go back and watch how quick his service was from the base of the rucks compared to the rest of the lumbering dinosaurs we currently have that call themselves scrumhalf's.
Also watch his work of defense then come back and let's talk...
You are totally right: PSDT is worth two Dupont. Each of them got a straight red card by Barnes during the game won by France one year before the World Cup. PSDT loved Jonatan Danty cheeks and he chose to bump his head nicely against one; unfortunately for him he was sent off and looked all ashamed on his bench during the rest of the game lost by SA.
The problem is that in the WC quarterfinal vs France he couldn’t refrain to bump nicely his head against the other cheek of Danty during the first half !! So he is really worth two Dupont !! Unfortunately his performance was not captured by BOK and his blind TMO, neither broadcasted by World Rugby (but showed by the French TV later on). Therefore he didn’t receive his well deserved red card which would have shown to the entire world that PSDT (or perhaps Chelsin Kolbe as long as it is a Bok) is worth two Dupont..,
Australia needed fearsome aggression and accuracy to win today. The aggressiona nd attitide improved a lot but the accuracy did not improve enough. The easy missed penalty before half time is a kick you must land if you intend to win that match. That kick keeps Australia in the game even if an early second half try is scored.
The accuracy faded in the second half and penalty/maul tries ensued. Thought Marx had clearly lost his bind when he slipped and should have been penalized once he reattached to the maul for one of his maul tries.
Couple of cases where the Aussie out half simply did not see the Sprinbok player when kicking to his winger. Grass was dark green.....?
I think overall there was nothing there to dissuade some that South Africa are the Greatest Team of All Team and indeed Cheslin Kolbe is the Greatest Player of All time.
still a one eyed k t
Job done