Springboks march on relentlessly
Sat, 08 Aug 2009 18:53
Blind faith: Bok captain John Smit still winning
South Africa continued their impressive Tri-Nations form when they convincingly beat Australia 29-17 in their Round Four showdown in Cape Town on Saturday.
The Wallabies may have scored two tries to the Springboks' one, but the reality of the Boks' dominance in this game can be found in the negative Wallaby tactics.
Not only did they concede a string of penalties - seven of which record-breaking flyhalf Morné Steyn slotted through the posts - but they were probably fortunate that only three players were yellow-carded.
The Boks now have 12 points on the Tri-Nations standings - eight clear of the second-placed All Blacks and the Wallabies still last with a solitary bonus point.
The atmosphere at Newlands right from the start was magnificent. The capacity (48 397) crowd applauded the Wallabies on and then roared as they stood to the Springboks. They stood to the Australian national anthem and applauded it and then they sang the South African anthem with a wholeheartedness that must surely be unsurpassed.
The match was better in the first half than in the second. Perhaps the players were tired. Perhaps the Springboks, who dominated proceedings, were tired after their third match in a row at this level. Towards the end their concentration seemed to fall apart a bit. But still the Wallabies were unable to make it count.
Discipline counted. Apart from the three yellow cards, the Wallabies conceded 14 penalties to the eight of the Springboks.
They also had horrible line-out wobbles, losing seven and throwing in skew twice. Only their scrumming was good and they were able through it to negate Pierre Spies at the back of the Springbok scrum. It was really a match which only one side could win.
Morné Steyn kicked off but the Wallabies had the start they sought. South Africa counterattacked off their kick but the Wallabies flung themselves into the tackle/ruck and Heinrich Brüssow was penalised. The Wallabies kicked out on their right, won the line-out and scored a try exquisite in its simplicity. They went far right with straight forward, man-to-man, sympathetic passes and Adam Ashley-Cooper shrugged off JP Pietersen to score in the left corner. Matt Giteau curved the conversion in from touch. 7-0 and only two minutes had elapsed.
Australia were dominating possession. They threw into line-outs and put into scrums but the Springboks were winning the breakdown and were determined to play in Australian territory. The Springboks first threw into a line-out after 19 minutes.
South Africa started to get back into the game as Frans Steyn had an overlap and chose to run into a tackle, as is his wont. Then Ashley-Cooper was guilty of a gross knock-on and the Springboks were back in the game. Stirling Mortlock was offside and Morné Steyn goaled. 7-3 after eight minutes. Lachie Turner obstructed a chasing kicker and Morné
Steyn goaled. 7-6 after 11 minutes. Stephen Moore was penalised at a tackle/ruck and the Springboks were ahead 9-7.
The lead lasted only two minutes for the Wallabies got into Springbok territory and Berrick Barnes kicked a soaring drop. 10-9. But then Al Baxter dived into a tackle and Morné goaled and then kicked a calm drop. 15-10 after 25 minutes.
Say what you like, without Morné Steyn's accurate kicking South Africa would not have won this match.
The Springboks attacked when mighty Bakkies Botha won a turnover and they then went left where a rugby miracle of rare delight occurred. Johan Smit - prop - kicked a left-footed grubber and when Turner cracked under Bryan Habana's pressure, Victor Matfield - a lock - bent down, gathered the low ball and dived over for a try. 20-10 with 10 minutes to the break.
Already the crowd turned festive. Olé, Olé sounded, the paso double was cheered and a Mexican wave broke out.
With two Wallabies in the sin bin the Springboks attacked. Morné Steyn goaled a penalty when Richard Brown was chased away and then the Springboks should have scored. They tapped a penalty and raced down their left coming back right where Spies, players outside of him, decided to run round James O'Connor instead of over him and the teenager brought him down just short of the line where Spies knocked on to produce half-time.
The Wallabies started the second half well, but when they were penalised at a tackle Morné Steyn made it 26-10 and the Springboks did not score again till just before the end.
The Wallabies attacked but dropped the ball and Brüssow footed downfield. De Villiers hared after the ball as Barnes tried to save but foiund the skidding ball hard to control. Morné Steyn was there to force Turner to concede a five-metre scrum. The Wallabies scrummed really well as they did in this latter part of the match and a penalty against Botha brought them relief.
Changes were happening. Ruan Pienaar came on for François Steyn and went to fullback with 20 minutes to go.
The Springboks did a funny thing in the context of the game. Morné Steyn kicked a long, shallow diagonal kick to his left, away from the sheltering power of his forwards. If Habana had caught it he would probably have scored but he did not and O'Connor came racing down the field.
Confronted by Pienaar he chipped for the line where Pierre Spies was back magnificently to fall on the ball and save but the Wallabies were in hot pursuit of a try and Nathan Sharpe was held up over the line by Bismarck du Plessis as the Wallabies surged for the posts. That gave them a five metre scrum. From it - again nothing elaborate - Giteau darted inside Du Preez and Brüssow and stretched out in Spies's tackle to score near the posts. He converted. 26-17 with 12 minutes to play.
Pietersen had a run at the line but then the Wallabies countered from a knock-on. When Habana was tackled without the ball the Springboks went for a five-metre line-out but the Wallabies went to ground and thwarted every attempt to maul. Instead the Springboks settled for three points when George Smith was yellow carded.
Man of the Match: Morné Steyn of the golden boot, Fourie du Preez for skill and generalship, and Bakkies Botha for relentless activity are all candidates but perhaps it was that most athletic of locks Victor Matfield who deserves the award. Any lock who can get up so high in the line-out and bend down so low to score a try must have exceptional athleticism.
Moment of the Match: The first Wallaby try for the beauty of its simplicity.
Villain of the Match: Three yellow cards - and the worst were Matt Giteau's and George Smith. A choice between the two would name Matt Giteau.
The scorers:
For South Africa:
Try: Matfield
Pens: M Steyn 7
DG: M Steyn
For Australia:
Tries: Ashley-Cooper, Giteau
Cons: Giteau 2
DG: Barnes
Yellow cards: Matt Giteau (Australia, 35 - foul play, striking with elbow off the ball), Richard Brown (Australia, 36 - repeated infringements at the ruck), George Smith (Australia, 78 - professional foul, knocking the ball down)
Teams:
South Africa: 15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (captain), 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Andries Bekker, 19 Danie Rossouw, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Adi Jacobs
Australia: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Stirling Mortlock (captain), 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 George Smith, 6 Richard Brown, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 David Pocock, 20 Will Genia, 21 Peter Hynes, 22 James O'Connor.
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Tim Hayes (Wales)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
By Paul Dobson, at Newlands
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