Wallabies break their South African drought
A superb all round performance in attack and defence brought the Qantas Wallabies a well-deserved 27 - 15 victory over the world champion Springboks in Durban tonight, bringing up the Men of Gold’s first win in South Africa since 2000.
Tries to Benn Robinson, Lote Tuqiri and captain Stirling Mortlock set up the victory which was built on committed defence, rigorous work at the breakdown and composed attack.
A beautiful clear day in Durban had welcomed the teams to the venue where the Wallabies had won their only other Tri-Nations match in South Africa, in 2000 where today’s captain Stirling Mortlock had kicked a last minute penalty goal.
The Wallabies took the field cool and composed and hopes, as well omens, were high for a rare Australian victory in South Africa.
The Men of Gold started nervously with Stirling Mortlock scrambling the ball out for a line out five metres from the Wallabies line.
The Boks put tpgether numerous phases ramming the Wallabies line but the Australian defence held out superbly with Wycliff Palu prominent.
It was a frantic opening with both sides spreading the ball and it was clear this was a very different side to the Boks team that got nilled in Cape Town by the All Blacks last Saturday.
On 8 minutes the Wallabies got their first chance to score when Springbok prop C J van der Linde took what appeared a very cheap shot on new Australian scrumhalf Sam Cordingley at a ruck.
Matt Giteau coolly stepped up and steered the ball through the posts from 40 metres out to put the Wallabies up 3 -0.
The Boks were undeterred and continued to throw the ball around but committed Wallabies defence held firm from some dangerous raids.
The Springboks were showing plenty of commitment, including at the breakdown unlike against the All Blacks in Cape Town, but they had not the composure or skill level to execute their chances.
The Wallabies had an excellent chance themselves on 18 minutes after a quick backline move saw Giteau grubber through. The ball came to Palu who looked set to score before he was pulled down by some desperate Springboks defence.
Young inside centre Berrick Barnes injured his shoulder in the move and was replaced by Ryan Cross.
Butch James, the Springboks flyhalf, had a chance to even the score on 20 minutes after Peter Hynes came in at the side of a ruck but James penalty attempt from wide out missed by some distance.
The Wallabies were on the attack soon after with another clever grubber by Giteau splitting the Boks defence.
Springboks winger Jongi Nokwe conceded a free kick in clearing up the dangerous situation just metres from the Boks line.
The Wallabies spread the ball quickly and after a number of rucks the Boks defence was caught short on the blind side and prop Benn Robinson dove over for the first try of the game.
Giteau converted from ten metres to the left of the posts and after nearly half an hour the Wallabies were in control at 10-0.
The injuries were not going with the Wallabies however as Dan Vickerman was replaced just before half time with a shoulder injury and Dean Mumm entering the Kings Park in Durban.
The Boks finally got on the board with three minutes gone in the second half when James landed a penalty goal from forty metres out, notching up South Africa’s first home points in this year Tr-Nations after over 120 minutes of Rugby.
Giteau had a chance to restore the Wallabies ten point lead a minute later but his penalty attempt faded just wide but five minute later he did land a second penalty from forty metres out to put the Wallabies up 13 – 3, and thirty minutes away from their first victory in the Republic in eight years.
The Wallabies almost went further ahead straight from the re-start when Drew Mitchell put a clever kick through that Lote Tuqiri reached first. The big Tahs winger toed ahead but Bok outside centre Adi Jacobs got their first to save the try by grounding the ball for a five metre scrum.
On 55 minutes a raft of replacements for the Wallabies with Brett Sheehan on at the scrumbase for Sam Cordingley and Al Baxter replaced Matt Dunning in the front row, while Timana Tahu was brought on for Peter Hynes.
The Boks also rang the changes with Percy Montgomery on for J P Petersen, Francois Steyn on for James and Joe van Niekerk for Pierre Spies at No.8.
The Wallabies sewed the Test up with twenty minutes to go after some more quick re-cycling from the Men of Gold saw a long pass from Giteau to Tuqiri who broke through the Springboks defence and ran thirty metres before being ankle-tapped by South African hooker Bismarck du Plessis.
Tuqiri hit the deck but with no South African hand on him he was able to roll over the line and claim the Wallabies second try. Giteau’s well taken conversion put the Wallabies out to 20-3.
The Boks got a sniff just a few minutes later after a break by Jean de Villiers on the Wallabies 22 saw South Africa stopped just short. But Jacobs picked up the ball from the base of the ruck to dive over to bring the score back to to 20 – 8. Montgomery converted
But the Wallabies hit back almost straight away.
South African captain Victor Matfield dropped the ball from the re-start. From the scrum the ball went straight to Stirling Mortlock who stepped back inside and charged 25 metres through the heart of the South African defence to score under the posts. Giteau converted and the Wallabies were well on the way to a famous victory 27 – 10.
Incredibly the Boks scored their second a minute later from a line out in the Wallabies 22. The ball was spun wide to Jacobs who spun out of several tackles, and took a few more Australian defenders over the line, to score his second to get the Boks back to 27 – 15. Montgomery failed with the extras.
In the final moments Phil Waugh came on for Palu as the Wallabies strained for their bonus point fourth try.
James Horwill went off after a serious head knock with Steyn with a minute to go as Giteau just failed to re-gather a kick ahead that would have given the Wallabies their bonus point.
Robbie Deans team will have been delighted with their well-deserved victory but the canny Kiwi may have some headaches sorting out enough fit players to take the field next Saturday in Johannesburg.
Qantas Wallabies 27(Benn Robinson, Lote Tuqiri, Stirling Mortlock tries; Matt Giteau 3 conversions, 2 penalty goals) defeated Springboks 15 (Adi Jacobs 2 tries; Butch James penalty, Matt Giteau conversion) at KingsPark, Durban.
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