Match Details

Springboks

VS

Qantas Wallabies

	29	Newlands Stadium, Cape Town Kick off times: 5:00pm (Local) Sat 8 Aug 1:00am (AEDT) Sun 9 Aug	17
	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

A gallant and courageous Qantas Wallabies went down 29-17 to the Springboks in Cape Townthis evening, despite dominating the scrums and outscoring the home team two tries to one in the Bundaberg Rum Tri-Nations clash.

But it was a performance full of such guts and spirit, as the Wallabies were reduced to 13 men at one stage, had three men sent to the sin bin during the game and saw captain Stirling Mortlock hobble off injured after thirty minutes, that it will give the side a lot of confidence going in to the home leg of the tournament.

A beautiful Cape Town day and a full house at Newlands, in the shadow of Table Mountain, greeted the two teams.

And no sooner had referee Alain Rolland blown the whistle than the Wallabies were in front.

Some good strong counter-rucking saw the Men of Gold win a penalty on halfway. Matt Giteau put the ball into touch on the South African 22.

The Wallabies surprised the Boks by going to Wycliff Palu at the front of the line out.

The big NSW No.8 won the ball easily and the ball came fromscrumhalf Luke Burgess to flanker George Smith standing at flyhalf then on to Giteau and Berrick Barnes who threw a long ball to fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper who hit the ball at top pace.

The big Brumby crashed through the tackle of winger J P Pietersen before carrying his opposing fullback Frans Steyn over the line and wrestling the ball to the ground.

Giteau made no mistake with the conversion from wide out to put the Wallabies up 7-0 after just five minutes.

South African superboot Morne Steyn made it 7-3 on 9 minutes converting a penalty goal from close range after Giteau was penalized for offside

Steyn had another chance three minutes later when the Wallabies were pinged for an offence the All Blacks went unpunished for over the last two weeks – running interference to the kick chasers.

Steyn made no mistake from 40 metres and he put the Boks in front just a minute later after a wayward pass from Burgess saw hooker Stephen Moore trapped on the wrong side of the ruck and blown for holding on.

After 13 minutes South Africa in front 9-7.

The Wallabies had clearly made a decision to play the game at pace and soon after Burgess tapped quickly from a ruck infringement by the Boks on halfway.

He made it to the South African 22 and from the breakdown the ball came to Barnes who coolly slotted a left foot drop goal from 35 metres out to put the Men of Gold back in front 10-9 after 15 pulsating minutes which hadn't given the frenzied crowd, or either team, a single moment to catch their breath.

But another breakdown infringement against Al Baxter gave Steyn another chance after 21 minutes and the Bulls flyhalf put South Africa back in front 12-10 from 30 metres out.

The Boks were playing the Wallabies at their home game with Heinrich Brussow stealing the ball and South Africa running the ball back at the Men of Gold from inside their own half.

Pietersen made a long break but the Wallabies held on resulting in Morne Steyn taking a snap drop kick from 25 metres out to put South Africa further ahead at 15-10.

Another penalty put the Boks out to 18-10 and then a minute later a wickedly bouncing ball saw the Wallabies concede a try.

A high kick by Springbok No.9 Fourie du Preez was taken superbly by Ashley-Cooper but a powerful drive by the Springbok forwards saw South Africa win back the ball.

The ball came to Bok captain prop John Smit who, finding himself at flyhalf, put through a grubber kick (!).

The ball bobbled around and eluded winger Lachie Turner to bounce up into the arms of Victor Matfield a metre out from the tryline who dove over for the try.

Steyn missed the conversion but South Africa had some breathing space at 23-10.

Frans Steyn had the chance to put South Africa further ahead soon after but his long range penalty shot drifted wide.

The task was made even tougher for the Wallabies on the half hour mark with captain Mortlock hobbling off injured.

Teenage sensation James O’Connor came on at fullback with Ashley-Cooper moving up to replace the captain at outside centre.

O’Connor was tested out almost straight away but took the ball brilliantly and beat three South African defenders in a strong run.

Then in the blink of an eye the Wallabies were down to 13 men.

First Giteau was yellow carded for adopting the All Blacks tactic of the past fortnight of jumping into the receiver and cleaning up du Preez as he waited for a high ball.

And then blindside flanker Richard Brown was marched for ten minutes 60 seconds later after playing the ball with his hands at the breakdown – although he was on his feet and was the tackler.

With a two men advantage the Boks threw everything at the Wallabies in the final five minutes of the half but the Men of God held on with the South African No.8 Pierre Spies knocking on a metre out from the Wallabies line as the half time siren sounded.

The teams went to the sheds with South Africa ahead 23-10 and the Wallabies clinging on.

But with thirteen men for the start of the second half, down by the same number of points and captain Mortlock off injured – the Wallabies task was as steep as the mountain hanging over the ground.

Another change as the teams ran back on saw Reds lock James Horwill, who had been struggling with a stomach bug, go off in favour of Dean Mumm.

Some clever kicking from Barnes saw the Wallabies pin the Boks down in their own territory till the Men of Gold’s full complement of 15 players returned with no further damage to the scoreboard.

With the Boks dominant at the lineout Robbie Deans went to the bench bringing on Ben Alexander for Baxter and Tatafu Polota-Nau for Moore.

Polota-Nau and Mumm worked a line out neatly soon after sending the big Tahs loose forward charging down field. But the Boks again turned the ball over.

The ball went downfield and to stand-in captain George Smith’s growing frustration the Wallabies were again penalized at ruck time and Steyn once more made no mistake from 40 metres out – 10 metres in from touch.

Wallabies behind 26-10 after 55 minutes.

Deans then brought on Will Genia for Burgess as David Pocock came on Palu, who went to the blood bin.

And South African flanker Juan Smith, who had been struggling with an ankle knock, was replaced by Danie Rossouw.

The Boks then found themselves with a scrum five metres out from the Wallabies line after Brussow toed through from a loose ball on the South African 22.

But excellent scrummaging from the Wallabies and committed breakdown counter rucking saw the Wallabies hold on. Despite all the pre-match talk from South Africa it was the Wallabies who were now clearly on top at scrum time.

Ruan Pienaar then came on for Frans Steyn at fullback.

Soon after South Africa kicked ahead and Bryan Habana flew high but failed to take the ball.

O’Connor counter attacked brilliantly taking the ball deep into the Bok 22. The ball then came to lock Nathan Sharpe who was held up over the line with unmarked Wallabies outwide.

From the five metre scrum, with the Wallabies pack again standing firm, Giteau stepped inside, wrong footing Du Preez and Brussow, and was dragged down just short by Spies but was able to reach out and plant the ball over the tryline next to the upright.

Giteau converted his own try and with 15 minutes to go the Wallabies were in the hunt at 26-17.

Jannie du Plessis, brother of hooker Bismarck, was then brought on to shore up the South African scrum with Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira being replaced and John Smit swapping to tight head.

The Men of gold had all the momentum but could they make up nine points with the clock ticking down.

With nine minutes to go Jean de Villiers, who became the Bok’s most capped centre during the Test, went off for Adi Jacobs.

So rattled was the Boks scrum that when the Wallabies were pulled up for a crooked throw in soon after – they went for another line out rather than risk a scrum.

With five minutes remaining in what was a high tempo, torrid Test match the Boks went to the bench again with Andries Bekker coming on for Bakkies Botha and Ricky Januarie for du Preez.

With time running out Smith was yellow carded for a desperate ruck infringement. Morne Steyn again was successful from the resulting penalty from close out and the Boks were home 29-17.

The Wallabies attacked as the full time siren sounded but a pass inside from Lachie Turner to O’Connor went astray just metres from the Bok line and the Test was over.

The Wallabies now return home where they face the All Blacks in Bledisloe 2 in Sydney on August 22nd.

Bundaberg Rum Tri-Nations

Full Time Score

Springboks 29 (Victor Matfield try; Morne Steyn 7 penalty goals, drop goal) defeated Qantas Wallabies 17 (Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Giteau tries; Giteau 2 conversions; Berrick Barnes drop goal) at Newlands in Cape Town. (Half Time: South Africa 23-10)