Match Details

Qantas Wallabies

VS

Springboks

	25	Subiaco Oval, Perth Kick off times: 6:00pm (Local) Sat 29 Aug 8:00pm (AEST) Sat 29 Aug	32
	Head to Head: Played 68 : South Africa 41, Australia 26, Drawn 1 Last Time: 30/8/08 : South Africa 53 - Australia 8 at Ellis Park, Johannesburg

The World Champion Springboks proved their overall class with a steamrolling 32-25 win over the Qantas Wallabies in Perth tonight.

At one stage the Wallabies fell behind 22-3 before fighting their way back to claim a bonus point in the last play of the game.

It was a game that might make All Blacks coach Graham Henry eat his words as both teams ran the ball from end to end in a seven-try fest.

Let’s hope the All Blacks follow the Wallabies and Springboks lead by moving the ball as much as the teams did tonight thrilling a large crowd of 36,148 at Subiaco Oval.

The match did not start well for the Wallabies with No.8 Richard Brown dropping a return kick into touch.

From the lineout on the halfway line the Boks attacked dangerously with Jean de Villiers first then Jaque Fourie raiding deep into the Australian 22.

But committed defence from the Wallabies held the Boks out and the move broke down with De Villiers being penalized for obstruction for using hooker Bismarck du Plessis as a shield.

In a promising sign the Wallabies won their first lineout and attacked with fluidity over a number of phases before a George Smith grubber gave the ball back to the Boks.

The Boks then launched a driving maul from another lineout with first Pierre Spies and then De Villiers again making in roads.

The ball came to flying winger Bryan Habana who was tackled fifteen metres out on the left touchline but the Wallabies were penalized for coming in at the side.

Springbok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez then spotted an opportunity in the Wallabies relaxed defence and took a quick tap, scooting over from 15 metres out. Morne Steyn converted and the Boks were up 7-0 after just five minutes.

Brown’s night didn’t get any better when he dropped a second kick from Steyn over the sideline.

From the lineout again the Boks looked dangerous with Juan Smith running strongly down the left sideline

Even this early in the game the Boks looked awesome and the Wallabies were doing extremely well to hold on.

But on 10 minutes the Wallabies were further behind.

A simple scrum move saw Steyn put Fourie into a yawning gap, defensive backline confusion between Matt Giteau and new inside centre Adam Ashley-Cooper contributing to the ease of Fourie’s run, and the big Lions outside centre strode around next to the posts.

At least Steyn missed the conversion (incredibly) from nearly right in front but the Boks were away at 12-0.

From the kick off the Wallabies got the ball back and then kept it in hand, launching a raid with Ashley-Cooper taking the ball into the Boks 22.

The Wallabies won a penalty but Giteau missed his kick from ten metres in from touch.

The dropsies continued from the Men of Gold ten with Rocky Elsom dropping a straight forward kick from Du Preez. But this time the Wallabies survived the resultant Bok onslaught.

Next the Wallabies scrum woes continued with Ben Alexander penalized for the offence Al Baxter had lost his place for – bringing the scrum down.

Steyn took the penalty shot from 40 metres out – ten in from touch – and this time made no mistake. South Africa 15-0.

The Boks were then penalized for coming in from the side and the Wallabies spurned the goalable chance to go for the lineout.

Some ferocious defence from the Boks stopped the Wallabies advances resulting in a Men of Gold knock on.

From the scrum again De Villiers was away but thankfully Heinrich Brussow knocked on with again the Wallabies defence split.

The Wallabies then looked promising with Giteau running back at the defence after fielding a kick and feeding to Elsom who looked dangerous down the left touchline but again the ball went to ground.

Giteau then had another chance to open the Wallabies account and again the ball sailed agonizingly wide. Still 15-0 to the Boks after 25 minutes.

But to the Wallabies credit they continued to keep the ball in hand and attack in multiple phases and Du Plessis was penalized for not rolling away and again Giteau had another penalty opportunity 40 metres out.

This time he made no mistake and the Men of Gold were on the board at 15-3.

Giteau was leading from the front trying to get the Wallabies back into the game as both teams continued to play a brand of running Rugby that thrilled the large and appreciative Subiaco Oval crowd.

The Boks then launched a rolling maul which grinded on 30 metres resulting in another penalty attempt to Steyn but thankfully for the hosts again he had a rare miss.

But suddenly the Wallabies were further behind.

A long drop out from the Wallabies was returned as a high kick from Springbok fullback Ruan Pienaar.

Lachie Turner flew high but the ball rebounded straight into the arms of Habana who skirted down the left touchline to notch the Boks third try. This time Steyn was successful and the world champions South Africa were well clear at 22-3 with five minutes to go in the first half.

Giteau then spilled a kick in the 22 but a poor defence from the Boks saw the attack breakdown and Ashley-Cooper put in a good low kick to win a line out in the South African 22.

Australia then pinched the lineout ball through Mark Chisholm and attacked with spirit but again the Boks turned the ball over.

Another offside against the Boks gave Giteau one more chance to add some points on the stroke of half time and the former Force flyhalf raised the flags.

The Wallabies went to half time behind 22-6.

But the Men of Gold started the second half well attacking deep in South African territory from a poor kick return.

The Wallabies won a penalty from a ruck infringement ten metres out but Luke Burgess took a quick tap and found Giteau who fought himself over the line for a well earned try.

Giteau converted his own try to put the Wallabies back into it at 22-13.

Now it was the Boks who were getting penalized at scrum time and from the penalty Elsom won the lineout and again the Wallabies surged deep into the Boks 22 but a drop ball from Ashley-Cooper ended the move.

The Wallabies had clearly received some inspiring words from Robbie Deans at half time and were launching themselves again and again at the Boks line.

On 48 minutes Deans went to the bench bringing on David Pocock for the mis-firing Brown.

Now it was the Boks making mistakes as Spies spilled a high ball.

Another scrum penalty to the Wallabies saw the Men of Gold have a line out on the Boks 22 but this time Stephen Moore’s throw was not in straight.

The Boks then could’ve wrapped up the game with a fourth try but Habana dropped the ball over the line.

The ball however came back questionably for a previous Wallabies knock on and from the five metre scrum the Boks again worked a simple backline play.

De Villiers could have been penalized for obstruction when he ran in to Ashley-Cooper but the referee stayed silent and this time Habana strolled over untouched for his second try, the Boks fourth and the first bonus point for four tries in the fifth match of this year’s Tri-Nations.

Steyn converted and the Boks had it wrapped up at 29-13.

Tatafu Polota-Nau came on for a blood-binned Moore as the Boks went to the bench as well bringing Schalk Burger, returning from a two month suspension, into the game for Juan Smith and Andries Bekker for Bakkies Botha.

With twenty five minutes to go Burgess made way for Will Genia but the Men of Gold had a mountain to climb to get back into the game.

The Wallabies looked like they would drag back a second try as they continued to dominate the Bok scrum but again mistakes brought Australia undone when they were camped on South Africa’s line.

The Wallabies then hammered the Boks line for 15 phases and were looking composed but somehow the ball spilt out and South Africa broke – with Habana taking it away before J P Petersen booted the ball deep.

Petersen tweaked a hamstring as he kicked seeing him replaced for Adi Jacobs.

From the ensuing line out the Boks looked dangerous again but a wayward pass from Du Preez was put down by Jacobs when it seemed the Wallabies line would be breached again.

Now Alexander was penalized at scrum time and Steyn had the chance to put the visitors further clear.

The Bulls flyhalf made no mistake – South Africa 32 – 13 with 13 minutes to go.

Deans went to the bench again bringing Quade Cooper on at flyhalf, moving Giteau to inside centre and Ashley-Cooper to outside centre.

Cooper then set up a well worked second try for Giteau from a neat backline movement close to the Boks line but then a hurried drop kick conversion from Giteau missed from in front. 32 -18 with just minutes to go.

Drew Mitchell came on for O’Connor and the Wallabies continued to attack valiantly as the clock wound down and Turner cut through for a late try on the siren. Giteau converted and the Wallabies picked up a bonus point with a final score of 32-25.

The Boks win meant they re-claimed the Nelson Mandela Plate and are now almost assured of winning the Tri-Nations although mathematically the All Blacks can still claim the cup with bonus point wins in their final two matches.

The two teams now move on to Brisbanewhere they meet again next Saturday night.

Bundaberg Rum Tri-Nations

Springboks 32 (Bryan Habana 2, Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie tries; Morne Steyn 3 conversion, 2 penalties) defeated Qantas Wallabies 25 (Matt Giteau 2, Lachie Turner; Giteau 2 conversions, 2 penalties) at Subiaco Oval. (Half time: Springboks 22-6) (Crowd: 36,148)