Wallabies outmuscle Boks in Perth
Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:00
Star performer: Wallaby flank George Smith
Australia started their Tri-Nations campaign on a winning note when they outmuscled South Africa to record a 16-9 victory in a bruising encounter at Subiaco Oval, Perth, on Saturday.
The Tri-Nations 2008 is wide open. The Wallabies opened and they opened it wide with a dominating performance. They won the possession, won the territory won the points - won the match. They scored two tries to nil. They certainly deserved to win.
It was a scrappy match in many ways and a great contest in others. There was not the fluency, speed and intensity of the first two Tri-Nations matches but it was certainly a contest. The second half was better and that was the half the Wallabies dominated.
For the Springboks it was an opportunity lost. They could have taken a big step towards winning the Tri-Nations but now are only slightly better off than their two opponents for they have at least managed a win away from home.
The Springboks did well enough in the first half and created opportunities which were squandered by poor handling and, of course, great defence. In the second half the Springboks faded a bit. Where in the first half they drove the Wallabies back in the tackle, now they rode with the tackles, giving the Wallabies the chance to get across the advantage line.
But it was after the tackle that the Wallabies won. They were much, much better, creating turnovers and making life a nightmare for Ricky Januarie - such a hero last week and so untidy this week.
Losing the most zealous tackler in the world if rugby, Schalk Burger, early in the second half did not help the Springboks cause but to their credit they battled to the end and were still trying to score tries from their own line.
At half-time coach Robbie Deans asked the Wallabies for composure, they had that aplenty as the game went to its end, shutting the Springboks down time and again, winning crucial turnover, sewing up the victory.
The Springboks scored first after some good phase play by the Wallabies when they got down into Wallaby territory, Wycliff Palu was ruled offside and François Steyn goaled. 3-0 after 6 minutes. He could have made it 6-0 but missed a similar kick at goal when Adam Ashley Cooper was penalised for going in at the side of a tackle.
The Springboks had a chance when Pierre Spies broke but the ball was lost. Spies had a quiet match, knocking on three times early in the half, twice at promising times.
Lote Tuqiri, who had a great game, had a strong run when he beat Conrad Jantjes and then the Wallabies attacked after winning a Springbok line-out but the Springboks forced a turnover and cleared.
The Wallabies had a good attack which ended when George Smith chipped in to the Springbok in-goal. Bryan Habana was over but Schalk Brits had lost the ball forward in getting it inside to him. Instead it was the Wallabies who scored a try, and it was a clever one.
They threw deep in the line-out - right over the top where George Smith got the ball running clear. He gave the ball to Peter Hynes who charged inside and took the tackle,. The Wallabies won quick ball and went left. Matt Giteau got a great pass under pressure to Ashley-Cooper who gave to Tuqiri who was over in the corner in Jean de Villiers's tackle. That made the score 5-3 to the Wallabies at half-time.
At the start of the second half the Wallabies kicked high and Stirling Mortlock beat Jantjes in the air to knock the ball back to his side and set the Wallabies attacking and Burger tackling. The Wallabies were given a free kick well in from touch and 10 metres from the Springboks line. They opted for a scrum. They went left and Mortlock bashed through De Villiers and as Juan Smith, JP Pietersen and Januarie held over him, helped by Tuqiri, the big centre powered over the line.
When Pietersen failed to field a simple kick the Wallabies attacked again but the Springboks were saved when Brits won a turnover.
At this stage, after 48 minutes, Burger and Mortlock left the field, Mortlock looking dazed.
When Gürthro Steenkamp was penalised for a fallen scrum Giteau goaled. 13-3 after 51 minutes.
The scrums added to the scrappiness of the game. There were 17 scrums awarded and there were 10 resets and 16 collapses. (In Dunedin there had been 13 scrums, 1 reset and 3 collapses.)
From the kick-off Al Baxter was penalised for side entry and Butch James goaled. 13-6 after 52 minutes.
The Wallabies attacked but Juan Smith broke out for the Springboks, but Januarie kicked and the promising attack ended in an attacking line-out to the Springboks but that opportunity was nullified by a poor pass from Januarie.
From a deep throw to Juan Smith in the line-out the Springboks attacked and Jantjes put Habana on a run to the line but the flier just lost the ball in a tackle by Ryan Cross, Mortlock's replacement.
Nathan Sharpe was penalised at a line-out for jumping on airborne Victor Matfield and Steyn goaled. 13-9 with 11 minutes to play.
The Springboks tried but the Wallabies strangled them forcing them further and further back till Berrick Barnes kicked a soaring dropped goal. 16-9 with a minute to play.
Man of the Match: For South Africa Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger and Juan Smith were outstanding. For the Wallabies Rocky Elsom and Nathan Sharpe were great in the pack and Lote Tuqiri in the backs but the man who did most in securing victory was undoubtedly fearless George Smith who dominated the tackle/ruck.
Moment of the Match: The Ryan Cross's tackle on Bryan Habana, one of the world's great finishers at a time when the Springboks were behind by just a try.
Villains: None. We hope....
The scorers:
For Australia:
Tries: Tuqiri, Mortlock
Pen: Giteau
DG: Barnes
For South Africa:
Pens: Steyn 2, James
Teams
Australia: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Stirling Mortlock (captain), 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 George Smith, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Hugh McMeniman, 19 Phil Waugh, 20 Sam Cordingley, 21 Ryan Cross, 22 Drew Mitchell.
South Africa: 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 François Steyn, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Butch James, 9 Enrico Januarie, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 CJ van der
Linde, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Gürthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Brian Mujati, 19 Andries Bekker, 20 Ryan Kankowski, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Peter Grant.
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand), Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
TMO: Garrat Newman (New Zealand)
