For an hour the Wallabies took the world champions to the wire. But when the siren sounded at Perth’s Optus Stadium, Australia were still well beaten, South Africa muscling to a 30-12 victory to notch back-to-back wins in Australia for the first time in 53 years.
In a hard-fought contest waged in teeming rain on sodden turf, the Springboks outclassed an improved Wallabies to remain unbeaten in the Rugby Championship. Last week it had taken Australia 75 minutes to score any points, this week they had three in as many minutes as they won the jump and dominated early collisions.
Both sides struggled in the wet and the visitors bombed an early chance after Cheslin Kolbe zipped through the middle, only for Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu to fumble the pass. With the ground so slippery, both teams attacked through the air. Australian fly-half Noah Lolesio skidded a flat kick for Andrew Kellaway, but Makazole Mapimpi stole it mid-air and it took a Tom Wright try-saver to jolt the ball loose a metre short of the line.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt had urged his men to be better “at the contest, in the air and on the ground” – pretty much everywhere – and they were. At the set piece, Australia had learned from the pain of Brisbane. With Angus Bell back in the No 1 jersey, the Wallabies pack held their own on the first scrum and won a penalty on the second.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked a penalty in the 16th minute to make it 3-3. And before the 17th ticked by, it was 8-3. Australia had been on a raid 30 metres out when centre Hunter Paisami lost the ball in contact. The Springboks scooped it up and surged, full-back Aphelele Fassi kicking ahead and outpacing Kellaway to cross in the corner.
The Wallabies hit back to 8-6 when Josh Nasser drew a penalty and Lolesio converted from 37 metres out. But Feinberg-Mngomezulu responded to restore the five-point margin.
Nic White, a late inclusion after first-choice half Jake Gordon was ruled out, had been charged with taking the heat off struggling No 10 Lolesio. Like his moustache, the No 9 bristled at the contest, darting into space, switching the play and niggling.
But the heavyweights were unfazed by the bantam’s antics. They intercepted the half-back’s pass and Kolbe flew down the right wing at pace. Only Wright’s tackle stopped another try. Australia had escaped again and Lolesio salted the wound, kicking a penalty on to, then over, the black dot from 40 metres out to make it 11-9.
The world champions looked rattled. They put the restart long, lost the ensuing scrum and found themselves pinned after Lolesio skidded a 50-22. The Wallabies No 10 was chancing his hand, taking on the line and kicking for Marika Koroibete. But after three cool spot-kicks he badly sliced a penalty on half-time that would’ve put his side ahead.
Despite making just 100 metres to South Africa’s 235 and making just one break to five, Australia were still in the game. They had missed fewer tackles (four to seven) and conceded fewer penalties (three to five) and would’ve been happy with their half. But it dissolved four minutes after the break when the Springboks’ rolling maul made it 18-9.
A Lolesio penalty kept the home side in touch at 18-12 but the men in gold were yet to fire a shot in attack. Schmidt knew it and pulled the trigger on 19-year-old debutant flyer Max Jorgensen. As the rain sheeted down, the kid flew on to a flat crossfield kick and hared downfield. The Springboks mowed him down but Jorgensen lifted his side again minutes later by soaring over the pack to bat back a bomb.
With momentum rising, Schmidt left the coaching box to brave the rain with his men. But just when the Wallabies appeared to be winning the wrestle, Lolesio erred thrice in two minutes, skewing a kick, spilling a catch and failing to roll away. Relieved, South Africa went for the kill. They spurned three to chase five and demolished Australia’s maul allowing bomb squad brigadier Malcolm Marx to drive over the line.
Even at 23-12, the Wallabies refused to yield. They won a breakdown and drove within five metres of the enemy trench. Twice they came, twice they were repelled. They splintered one lineout, stole another. But again discipline let them down, Harry Wilson the culprit then Seru Uru. And the Springboks maul rolled Marx to a double.
Australia were done but even with the game gone, their effort gave cause for hope. Jorgensen attacked the restart like a marlin at the lure and Koroibete dragged down Pieter-Steph du Toit inches short of the stripe. They put a stopper in the scoreboard to give themselves a squirt of confidence for the challenge ahead: Argentina at home.
