Wallabies impressive second-half performance keeps Springboks winless in 2011 Tri Nations - Rugby
Besides winning both of their games against the Springboks in the 2011 Tri Nations competition and keeping their Tri Nations hopes alive, Saturday’s win over the Springboks have helped the Wallabies to win the Mandela Challenge Plate.
Wallabies impressive second-half performance helped them defeat the Springboks 14 – 9 at Kings Park Stadium, Durban on Saturday, August 13. Wallabies have written their names in the records books as they were able to defeat the Springboks squad, which was considered the most experienced squad the South Africans have put up.
Springboks were strengthened with the return of a number of their first choice players from injuries and started the match strongly. Springboks total number of caps of the match was up to 810 caps.
Springboks were first to score points in the match as their fullback Frans Steyn, who was playing his first match of the competition, scored a penalty in the second minute of the game.
Both teams fought over ball possession as they denied each other from gaining territorial advantage. A high number of tackles characterised the game, as Wallabies were able to put the check on the Springboks performance in the Scrums.
Springboks managed to further their lead courtesy of their experienced and World Cup winning fly half, Butch James' 15th minute penalty. Springboks lead with six minutes and looked more in control of the proceedings but Wallabies ensured that the Boks had to work hard for every move.
Wallabies were simply exceptional in their tackles but they failed to register any points on board during the first-half. This was their second consecutive game in which they were kept scoreless throughout the first-half.
Wallabies trailing by six points at the start of the second-half started strongly. They were able to win the penalty in the 43rd minute of the game, on which their winger James O’Connor capitalised to put their first points on the board.
Four minutes later, Wallabies utility back and inside centre, Pat McCabe, scored the match’s first try to put the visitors in the lead. Springboks retained the ball possession as they slowly built in their offence to win a penalty during the 57th minute of the game. For Boks James scored his third and last penalty of the game to keep the scorecard reading 9 – 8.
Wallabies were impressive in their tackles as they denied Springboks to develop any threatening moves. At the same time, Wallabies took every opportunity they had to gain territory.
O’Connor scored two consecutive tries in the 65th and 73rd minute of the game, to take the scorecard reading 14 – 9, in favour of the Wallabies. Boks tried their hardest but they could not force their way back into the game.
The Wallabies Saturday’s victory over the world champions has also ended the Boks dominance in the scrum as the Wallabies played an exceptional game at both scrum and in the lineouts.
The win has given Wallabies an outside chance to win the 2011 Tri Nations title, however, for this they need to comprehensively defeat the All Blacks, in their last match of the competition.http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/match/scores/recent.html
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