South Africa vs. Australia recap
The South African Springboks were able to register their first win of the 2010 Tri Nations Cup tournament over the Australian Wallabies on the weekend.
The Boks got out to a slow start on Saturday at home, but managed to find their game late in the second half, doing enough late to seal a long awaited first victory. The Wallabies came out strong and managed to take a narrow four-point lead into the second half. However, South Africa was able to wrestle the lead back in the late-going, fighting their way to a 44-31 win.
Recap
Centre Matt Giteau got the scoring started for the Wallabies registering a try and kicking the conversion in the games second minute.
The Wallabies kept it coming early with a second try in the fifth minute from James O’Connor, Giteau followed with his second conversion of the night and the Aussies were out to a quick 14-0 lead.
The Boks battled back in the eighth minute with a try from Juan Smith, followed by a conversion from Morne Steyn to bring the game to 14-7.
Nevertheless, the Wallabies continued to push, with the tandem of O’Connor and Giteau teaming up again for a try and conversion only two minutes later, reinstating the visitor’s 14 point advantage.
The first half scoring continued with a second try for South Africa courtesy of Gurthro Steenkamp and a conversion and penalty from Steyn to bring the score to 21-17.
However, Australia was on their game early, with yet another try, this time from Dean Mumm. Giteau registered his fourth conversion giving the Wallabies a 28-17 lead.
The match continued to seesaw with a try from Pierre Spies in the 31st minute; another conversion from Steyn closed the gap to 28-24 heading into halftime.
After the break Steyn and Giteau traded penalties to keep the Aussie lead at four, however in the 49th minute Frans Steyn manoeuvred his way across the whitewash with a conversion coming from Morne Steyn to give the Boks their first lead of the game at 34-31.
From that point on it was all Boks with Frans Steyn hitting a penalty and JP Pietersen adding the fifth try of the match, finishing off an impressive Boks victory.
Analysis
The win moves South Africa to second in the table for the first time in the tournament. Moreover, the victory sets up what should be a very exciting final game for the Mandela Challenge Plate this weekend. That distinction is given to the winner of the three game series betwen the two teams, which is currently tied at one win apiece.
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