Boks’ fast start stuns Wallabies
SOUTH Africa maintained their unbeaten record at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth with a rock a solid, if unspectacular, win over Australia.
It was a patchy performance with the best quality rugby coming in the first 40 minutes but South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus will be pleased enough ahead of this week's return game against New Zealand in Pretoria when they will be aiming for a rare season's double over the All Blacks.
Australia, desperate for a win after a disappointing season, really came at them in the second half but the Boks ground out the win to set them up for Saturday's big game at Loftus Versveld.
It took just 24 seconds for South Africa to open their account when Kurtley Beale, under huge pressure from Faf de Klerk, threw a wild pass to his left which Aphiwe Duyantyi plucked from the air to score the easiest of tries.
The Boks should have increased their lead when Willie Le Roux launched a thrilling attack from deep in their own 22 which resulted in Siya Kolisi sprinting hard down the left wing. The Boks skipper had men inside but Marika Koroibete, chasing back, caught him by surprise with a superb tackle.
The Springboks did cross for a second try, though, when Handre Pollard cut through two front row forwards in midfield and located de Klerk on his inside with the Sale scrumhalf scampering home from 20 yards.
The Aussies finally secured a foothold in the game when they struck with a smartly-taken try wide out on the right by Reece Hodge after a long floated pass from Will Genia.
Genia was in the spotlight again moments later when he struck clinically down the left wing, linking with Koroibete, to hit the turbo and race in for a try which Matt Tomua convert- ed to bring Australia within two points of the Boks.
South Africa decided to tighten up a little and to start kicking their penalty opportunities rather than go slavishly for the corner.
The result was two nicely struck penalties by Pollard before half-time which eased the pressure and opened the margin again.
Soon after the break Pollard completed a hat-trick of penalties and the match seemed poised to open up again but in fact that was the end of the scoring. The Australians started to dominate possession and territory but weren't good enough to capitalise fully while the devil had gone out of South Africa's back play.
A yellow card for Dyantyi in the 64th minute for not rolling away offered Australia a glimmer of hope against 14 men but South Africa, with André Esterhuizen and MOM Pieter Steph-du Toit outstanding, held firm and by the final whistle neither side had anything left to give.
“We have still got a lot of improving to do but I will take a win like that any day against a determined team like Australia,” said Kilosi.
“It was important that we maintained our focus and intensity after beating New Zealand two week ago and that is what we did. We were very good in the things that don't require great skill – work rate, defence, tackling and chasing.
As for Michael Hooper's side, one win in their five Championship games to date is a poor return and the pressure mounts as the experiment of playing Kurtley Beale at fly-half continues to splutter unconvincingly.
Among other things Beale can't pass off his left hand and when he turns to pass off his right it telegraphs many plays.
He and Australia looked much happier towards the end when Michal Foley came on and B
TEAMS
SOUTH AFRICA: Le Roux 7; Kolbe 7.5, Kriel 7, Esterhuizen 7.5, Dyantyi 7; Pollard 7.5, Faf de Klerk 7.5; Mtawarira 6.5 (Kitshoff 45), Marx 7 (Mbonambi 70), Malherbe 6.5 (Louw 63), Etzebeth 7 (Snyman 77), Mostert 6, Kolisi (c) 8, du Toit 8.5, Notshe 7 (van Staden 45)
AUSTRALIA: Haylett-Petty 8.5; Folau 6.5, Hodge 7, Toomua 6.5, Koroibete 7 (Maddocks 39, 6, Foley 59, 7); Beale 6, Genia 8 (Phipps 70, 6.5); Sio 7 (Kepu 50, 6) Faingaa 6 (Paenga-Amosa 50, 6), Tupou 6 (Alaalatoa 50, 6.50, Coleman 6.5, Rodda 7 (Simmons 70,), Hanigan 6.5, Hooper (c) 7, Pocock 7.5
REFEREE: Jerome Garces (Fr)
ATTENDANCE: 41,000
Star man Pieter Steph-du-Toit – SA
