Match Details

Springboks

VS

Qantas Wallabies

33

Johannesburg Kick off times: 7:05am (Local) Sat 17 Aug

31

Once again, the Tri Nations was to be decided by the last game, the Wallabies having been set an interesting challenge by the Kiwis. They needed to win at Johannesburg - where they had won only once before - and win by at least 25 points and score at least 4 tries. And if they could achieve this target it would surely be one of the greatest efforts in Test history. But this is also a building year as we head towards RWC 2003, so whilst retaining the Tri Nations would be nice so too would a good hit out under difficult conditions, and after the controversies of the past few weeks many were just hoping for a good clean game with no dramas!

This was also a very special match as it was a Mandela Cup contest, the second ever, and the home side wanted to get a hold of that trophy for the first time. A message from former President Mandela was played to the crowd, the anthems were performed magnificently again in front of the large crowd and then Matt Burke kicked off into the overcast afternoon sky.

The early minutes were in the SA half as they tried to clear from the kick off. van Niekirk made a break to get over the 50 but a few poor passes saw play break down. They continued on and drew a penalty with Greef stepping up to take the kick from in front but it was the worst kick of the year as the ball sat on its side and hit the post a few feet above the ground. Rain that had fallen earlier in the day was making the ball slippery and both sides were struggling to hold onto it. Russell tried the next penalty kick and it too was a shocker, the players strangely smiling about it.

The Wallabies then cruised into the Bok half and drew a penalty which Burke calmly slotted to grab the lead. The Boks were full of run and, in reply, worked their way to the 22 where they were spreading it hard and fast to try to crack the defence but the Wallabies held firm and cleared. A couple of players were warned for some funny stuff and then the Wallabies took it forward. An error by Skinstad inside the 22 gave Burke a chance for another three points. The ball was blown off the tee and Mr O`Brien declared he had 15 seconds left for the kick but Burke belted it over without difficulty. From the restart it was again the Wallabies forcing an elementary error and playing under advantage Mortlock launched a massive drop kick that flew just to the left of the posts. Burke took the penalty and it was 9 -0 after 20 minutes. Smith gave the Boks a chance when he threw out a dangerously high tackle and was lucky not to be yellow carded but their momentum was spoilt by a series of turn overs. Tempers were simmering just below the surface and one sensed it wouldnt take much to erupt. Mortlock, Smith and Finegan combined to run it into the opposition half, they recycled well but a kick ahead by Larkham ran into the in goal and the Boks could clear. A solid Bok maul over the half way was given up too easily with a knock on but the touch judge found a penalty and it was the Boks with a lineout. With the crowd lifting they moved towards the line but the defence was supreme and the ball was kicked clear by the Wallabies.

The Australian tackling was ferocious, the Boks rarely had room in which to move. The clock ticked over into the last ten minutes of the half and the Boks were ahead in the possession stakes but not on the scoreboard.

Then the tide turned... Larkham got his fingertips to a deadly pass and it was a SA scrum 5 metres out. A few metres in front of the sticks the ball flew back out straight into Paulse hands and with a huge gap in front of him he cruised over for the first try of the match and the Boks were back into it. Once again the Wallabies had gone to sleep after a strong first twenty minutes and they were on the back foot as the home side lifted. A minute later Russell broke a tackle and raced off for the right hand corner and touched down for the lead. The Wallabies seemed to have gone into this game wanting only the win, and after being in control for 30 minutes they now found themselves behind at the half time break and with a lot of hard work ahead if they wanted to take the 4 points.

From the start of the second half it didnt get any better as the Boks turned over the ball from the kick off and then pounded the line with the ball finally being flicked across to Paulse who celebrated with his somersaulting antics as the game slipped from Australia`s reach. From the restart the Wallabies tried desperately to add some points as they worked it up slowly towards the line. They took a lineout about 10 metres out but Tune knocked on as he ran onto a pass but the ref ruled that the Boks had too many players in the lineout and it was a scrum about 15 metres out. Kefu angled off the scrum and crashed into the right corner a split second before hitting the corner post but the video ref ruled that his arm had touched the post before getting the ball down and it was no try when we really needed one!

Krige went off injured, as he seems to do during every game, and then Burke charged down a kick and it was a lineout to the Wallabies about 15 metres out. Barry punched a Wallaby whilst on the ground and was sin binned and it was now the visitors best chance to attack. They drove for the line, flung it wide to Paul but he couldnt get past the last man and was bundled into touch. they won the ball back and Sharpe charged forward to draw another penalty. The Wallabies scrummed down to take advantage of the numbers, it was moved wide but a poor pass saw it all breakdown. Rogers was now on and straight into the play but vital minutes were ticking by and no points being added. The Boks were mauling well to make good yards and then in the 60th minute they appeared to sink Australia`s hopes for the victory when a great lay off in midfield by Skinstad saw van Niekirk scorch down the left wing for an impressive potentially match winning try. In reply Kefu ran it up the other end and a good pass to Rogers allowed him to crash over. The usual number of high tackles and shoulder charges allowed Australia to move into the opposition 22 and they took a lineout 5 metres out in the right corner. They drove for the line without success, then scrummed down from where it was flung wide under advantage and Kefu sidestepped the tacklers and plonked it down next to the uprights and the game had taken an interesting turn.

There were 11 minutes left on the clock and Australia was trailling by three points. Another high tackle by Joubert and he was red carded with the game momentum turning.

Once again playing under advantage they moved towards the goal line and Gregan launched a nifty little drop kick which levelled the scores. From the restart a knock on allowed the Boks to keep the ball in the Wallabies half but they had a man down. Smith stole a long lineout ball and tore off up the field evading tacklers with skill before handing off to Cannon who fell over the line for a match leading try. With only minutes left we were 5 points ahead and still running forward. The Boks managed to turn it over and had a last chance up the other end. There was a minute left and they were on the Wallaby 22 needing a converted try to steal the game. A Wallaby knock on gave the home side another chance and as the siren sounded they moved forward against the desperate defence. Then against the odds Greef came screaming in from the back and broke the defence wide to level the scores with the conversion to come. Greef`s kick was true and for once we lost by the last kick of the day!

Congratulations to George Gregan on his record number of Tests at scrum half but unfortunately he couldnt celebrate with a win. The Tri Nations concludes with the Kiwis getting their hands on the trophy and that should keep them quite for a while whilst we build towards our ultimate goal - next years Rugby World Cup.Thank you for being with us each week and we invite you to return for the end of season tour to Europe when we will once again report each Wallabies Test.

South Africa`s Labuschagne was the Man of the Match.