Match Report: Springboks 9 - Qantas Wallabies 14
The Qantas Wallabies have kept their Castrol Edge Tri Nations title hopes alive with a come from behind win against the Springboks at Kings Park in Durban this morning.
Trailing 6-0 at half-time the Qantas Wallabies made all the running in the second half and secured their first points of the match through the boot of James O’Connor when he slotted a Penalty Goal just two minutes in to the second half.
The Qantas Wallabies then gained the lead for the first time just six minutes later when Nathan Sharpe handed off to Quade Cooper who spun the ball wide to James O’Connor who in turn hit-up Pat McCabe for his maiden Test try in the Gold jersey.
The Springboks were still in the game however as O’Connor’s conversion attempt was unsuccessful and the hosts regained the lead less than 10 minutes later thanks to a Butch James Penalty Goal.
The Qantas Wallabies continued to test the Springboks resolve and were rewarded for their efforts with two Penalty Goals to O’Connor in the 66th and 74th minutes, which saw the visitors regain and then stretch their lead to five points leaving the Springboks requiring a converted try to claim the win.
Despite one final push by the hosts in the dying seconds the Qantas Wallabies held strong in defence to run out five point victors 14-9 and keep their chances of claiming the Castrol Edge Tri Nations title alive.
Springboks 9: Pen Goal: Butch James (2/3) and Francois Steyn (1/1)
Qantas Wallabies 14: Try: Pat McCabe Conv: James O’Connor (0/1) Pen Goal: James O’Connor (3/4)
Minute by Minute:
First Half
2nd: Penalty to South Africa, kick at goal.
3rd: Penalty to South Africa, Francoise Steyn.
6th: Penalty to South Africa, kick to touch.
8th: Penalty to Australia, kick to touch.
9th: Penalty to South Africa, quick tap.
13th: Penalty to South Africa, kick to touch.
14th: Knock on South Africa, scrum to Australia.
15th: Penalty to South Africa, kick at goal.
16th: Penalty to South Africa, Butch James.
18th: Knock on Australia, scrum to South Africa.
19th: Penalty to South Africa, kick at goal.
20th: Penalty attempt unsuccessful, Butch James.
23rd: Knock on Australia, scrum South Africa.
24th: Forward pass Australia, scrum to South Africa.
25th: Knock on South Africa, scrum to Australia.
33rd: Penalty to Australia, kick to touch.
36th: Knock on South Africa, scrum to Australia.
36th: Knock on Australia, scrum to South Africa.
38th: Penalty to Australia, kick at goal.
39th: Penalty attempt unsuccessful, James O’Connor.
40th: Half time – South Africa 6 – Australia 0.
Second Half
41st: Knock on South Africa, scrum to Australia.
42nd: Penalty to Australia, kick at goal.
44th: Penalty Goal to Australia, James O’Connor.
45th: Penalty to Australia, kick to touch.
46th: Forward pass Australia, scrum South Africa.
48th: Try to Australia, Pat McCabe (first Test try).
50th: Conversion attempt unsuccessful, James O’Connor.
52nd: Penalty to South Africa, kick to touch.
55th: Knock on South Africa, scrum to Australia.
57th: Penalty to South Africa, kick at goal.
58th: Penalty Goal to South Africa, Butch James.
60th: Knock on South Africa, scrum to Australia.
61st: Knock on Australia, scrum to South Africa.
65th: Penalty to Australia, kick at goal.
66th: Penalty Goal to Australia, James O’Connor.
69th: Penalty to South Africa, kick to touch.
71st: Knock on South Africa, scrum to Australia.
71st: Knock on Australia, scrum to South Africa.
73rd: Penalty to Australia, kick at goal.
74th: Penalty Goal Australia, James O’Connor.
79th: Penalty to South Africa, kick to touch.
80th: Penalty to South Africa, kick to touch.
80th: Full Time – South Africa 9 – Australia 14.
Tri Nations Ladder
Date: Saturday, August 13
Kick Off: 1am (AEST)
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Bryce Lawrence
Assistant Referees: George Clancy / Carlo Damasco
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
Follow on Twitter: #RSAvAUS
Super Rugby winning backrower Scott Higginbotham headlines the changes in the Qantas Wallabies matchday 22 to face the Springboks this weekend, with coach Robbie Deans making five changes to the squad who went down to New Zealand in Auckland last weekend.
Higginbotham replaces Western Force No.8 Ben McCalman, with the 2010 Test debutant expected to feature at some point throughout the 80 from the bench.
“Scott has made a genuine impact in each of his Test outings to date this year,” Robbie Deans noted, “and we’ll be looking for him to do the same from the start this week.”
Veteran lock Nathan Sharpe comes into the starting XV in a straight swap for Rob Simmons, while Sitaleki Timani replaces Dan Vickerman. In the fourth change for the match, Radike Samo comes in for NSW Waratahs speedster Lachie Turner as Deans looks to “bulk-up” his bench with only two backs and five forwards named.
While he has just been listed as a run on reserve, primarily covering No.8, Queensland Reds loose forward Samo stands poised to make the most remarkable comeback in Test history should he be required from the Qantas Wallabies bench this weekend in Durban.
Saturday will represent a 2456-day gap since the now 35-year-old last appeared at Test level, which was off the bench against Scotland at Glasgow on 20 November, 2004.
In the six years and 266 days since Samo last represented Australia in a Test, he has subsequently played a year for Stade Francais in France, and also for three years at club level in Japan, prior to making an unlikely return to Super Rugby last year, when called out of semi-retirement to join the Reds for the last two matches of the 2010 competition.
Samo, who had been playing with Sydney club Southern Districts, did well enough to earn a full contract for this year, which allowed him to win his second Super title, after having shared in the Brumbies’ championship-winning season of 2004.
“Scott has made a genuine impact in each of his Test outings to date this year,” Deans noted, “and we’ll be looking for him to do the same from the start this week.”
A further change on the bench sees Brumbies prop Salesi Ma’afu enter for the first time this year, after missing the back end of Super Rugby due to a fractured arm, which was sustained against the Lions.
Ma’afu featured in 10 Tests during his maiden season as a Wallaby last year, starting in all six matches of last year’s Tri Nations series.
He has taken the bench position previously occupied by Pekahou Cowan.
“Salesi has worked hard to get back. The work he put in at our Gold Coast camp last week confirmed for us, on top of his medical clearance, that he is ready to go,” Deans said.
“He’s in good nick physically, has scrummed well in training and, most importantly, has been there before. Salesi knows what to expect in these types of contests. We will be looking for him to add value when he gets his chance.”
Deans has found no reason to make any changes in his young and exciting backline, even after the Aussie side suffered a double-digit loss to the All Blacks last weekend at Eden Park.
Deans, when asked about last week’s clash with their old foes, was quick to remind the media his focus was on this weekend however acknowledge that his side “didn’t handle” the Kiwi’s opening onslaught.
“We saw last week that the All Blacks hit the ground running, with a group that featured a number of experienced players coming off a brief break, and the Springboks will be no different,” Deans said.
“We didn’t handle the opening onslaught in Auckland and that set us on the back foot for the remainder of the match. The South Africans won’t have missed that. More of the same will be coming. It is important we adapt better and get ourselves into the contest from the start.”
The Qantas Wallabies team to play South Africa in the Castrol Edge Tri Nations Rugby Test at King’s Park in Durban on Saturday night (kick-off: 1am, Sunday morning, AEST) is:
15. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)
14. James O’Connor (Western Force)
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
12. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
11. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
10. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
8. Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds)
7. David Pocock (Western Force)
6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies, captain)
5. James Horwill (Queensland Reds)
4. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
1. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)
Run on Reserves:
16. Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
17. Salesi Ma’afu (Brumbies)
18. Sitaleki Timani (NSW Waratahs)
19. Ben McCalman (Western Force)
20. Radike Samo (Queensland Reds)
21. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
22. Anthony Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
Australia v South Africa @ Durban – Historical Notes
• This will be the 76th meeting between Australia and South Africa at all venues. Australia has won 30 and South Africa 44, while one match has been drawn.
• Just nine of Australia’s previous wins have been attained on South African soil, with the Springboks taking the other 30 matches that have been played.
• Australia first appeared in a Test in Durban in 1933, beating South Africa 21-6 at the nearby Kingsmead Ground which is better known as the city’s venue for international cricket. This was the only defeat South Africa suffered from the five Tests it played at that ground.
• Saturday night will be the 27th Test played by South Africa at King’s Park, which includes the 1995 Rugby World Cup semi-final where the Springboks scored a dramatic victory over France. Heading into the weekend, South Africa has returned 16 wins, seven losses and three draws at the ground.
• Australia and South Africa have met on six previous occasions in Durban and are tied three wins apiece. Australia won in 1933 (21-6), 2000 (19-18) and most recently in 2008 (27-15), while South Africa claimed the honours in 1953 (18-8), 1969 (16-9) and 2004 (23-19).
• Two of the three wins achieved by Australia on South African soil through the professional era in the Tri Nations [1996-2011] have been claimed in Durban.
• King’s Park is one of three international sports venues in the Durban sport’s precinct, being flanked on either side by the Kingsmead Test Cricket Ground and the new Moses Mabhida Stadium. The latter opened last year for the Football World Cup, hosting a number of matches, including the 1-0 semi-final victory by Spain over Germany.
• Ex-Wallaby skipper Stirling Mortlock, who kicked the winning penalty goal in 2000, was the only Australian player to feature in both Tri Nations wins achieved in Durban.
• Last year’s dramatic success in Bloemfontein was just Australia’s third win away from home from its last 23 away Tri Nations matches, and only its ninth win from 39 matches played on South African soil.
• The win at Bloemfontein made Robbie Deans the first Australian coach to win two matches on South African soil during the professional era (1996-2010).
• Flyhalf Morne Steyn set a Tri Nations record when he scored all 31 of South Africa’s points during the 31-19 success against New Zealand at Durban in 2009.
• The Bulls sharpshooter has landed his last 18 goals in a row against Australia and kicked 29 out of 29 during last year’s tournament.
LAST TIME THEY MET (IN SOUTH AFRICA)
Australia 41 beat South Africa 39 at Bloemfontein, 4 September, 2010
An after the siren penalty goal from near halfway by Kurtley Beale handed Australia its first win on the South African high veldt in 13-matches over a period spanning 47 years after a dramatic night at Bloemfontein. The visitors had seen a 31-6 lead after 25 minutes gobbled up by the Springboks, who appeared set for victory when they pulled away by five against an Australian side reduced to 14 men when Saia Faingaa was yellow carded. But a try by Drew Mitchell breathed new life into the contest before Beale’s dramatic intervention completed the historic comeback. The win, which reclaimed the Mandela Challenge Trophy, was just the Wallabies’ third success in South Africa in the professional era, but its second in three years under the stewardship of Robbie Deans.
For Australia: Tries by Kurtley Beale, James O’Connor, Rocky Elsom, Stephen Moore and Drew Mitchell; 4 conversions and a penalty goal by Matt Giteau, conversion by James O’Connor, penalty goal by Kurtley Beale.
For South Africa: Tries by Jaque Fourie, Gurthro Steenkamp and Jean de Villiers; 3 conversions and 6 penalty goals by Morné Steyn.
Halftime: Australia 31, South Africa 13
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Australia: Kurtley Beale, James O’Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Giteau (replaced by Berrick Barnes, 70 min), Drew Mitchell (replaced by Anthony Faingaa, 72 min), Quade Cooper, Will Genia (replaced by Luke Burgess, 54 min), Ben McCalman (replaced by Richard Brown, 70 min, temporarily replaced by Stephen Moore,78-80 min) , David Pocock, Rocky Elsom (captain), Nathan Sharpe, Mark Chisholm (replaced by Dean Mumm, 53 min), Salesi Ma’afu (replaced by James Slipper, 21 min), Stephen Moore (replaced by Saia Faingaa, 65 min), Benn Robinson.
South Africa: Francois Steyn, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana (replaced by Gio Aplon, 50 min), Morné Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Pierre Spies (replaced by Ryan Kankowski, 65 min), Juan Smith, Schalk Burger, Danie Rossouw (replaced by Francois van der Merwe, 61 min), Victor Matfield, Jannie du Plessis (replaced by CJ van der Linde, 55 min), John Smit (captain, replaced by Chiliboy Ralepelle, 65 min), Gurthro Steenkamp.
To follow the game LIVE on the Roar's BLOG visit - http://www.theroar.com.au/2011/08/13/springboks-vs-wallabies-live-scores-blog/