Tri Nations Cup: Australia squeaks by South Africa
The Australian Wallabies were able to steal a win on the road in Bloemfontein against the South African Springboks over the weekend.
In their final match-up against one another in the 2010 Tri Nations tournament Australia was able to defeat South Africa and claim the Mandela Challenge Plate. The Wallabies were clearly the better of the two sides in the first half as they took an 18 point lead into the break. Nevertheless, the Boks were able to come back in the second stanza actually taking the lead in the 75th minute. However, a late penalty from the Aussies gave them a 41-39 victory and the Mandela Plate.
Recap
The Aussies wasted no time getting on the board as Matt Giteau hit a penalty in the first minute of the game to give the visitors a 3-0 lead.
Morne Steyn answered back for the Boks with a penalty of his own in the fifth minute to tie the game.
However, the Wallabies were quick to regain their advantage as full-back Kurtley Beale crossing the whitewash in the seventh minute. Giteau was able to record the conversion and the Aussies took a 10-3 lead.
The visitors then added to their advantage with a try from James O’Connor in the 13th minute, Giteau once again hit the conversion and the Wallabies shifted their lead to 17-3.
Steyn answered back with another penalty to make it 17-6; however Stephen Moore was able to dart over the line for Australia’s third try. Giteau continued his fine day from the tee and the Wallabies extended their lead to 22-6.
Captain Rocky Elsom would also march his way over the try-line before the end of half and after another Giteau conversion Australia held a commanding 31-6 lead.
Jaque Fourie would fight his way over the whitewash in the 39th minute and Steyn would hammer home the conversion to close the gap to 31-13 just before halftime.
The Boks seemed to feed off of their late first half try as Gurthro Steenkamp barged his way over the line in the 45th minute and Steyn knocked down his second conversion of the day to cut the lead to 31-20.
Steyn then hit his third penalty of the game, which was closely followed by a try from Jean de Villiers in the 53rd minute. Steyn added to another excellent day at the tee with a conversion, closing the gap to 31-30.
Steyn would then knock down two penalties in a row to give the Boks their first lead of the game at 36-31.
Nevertheless, the Aussies found their way back into the game courtesy of a try from Drew Mitchell, and after an O’Connor conversion the Wallabies were back up 38-36.
Steyn continued to be the offensive catalyst scoring an unprecedented sixth penalty to get the lead back for the Boks, at 39-38.
However, in the 79th minute Beale notched only Australia’s second penalty of the game to seal and exciting 41-39 victory for the guests.
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