Rugby Championship: South Africa 30 Australia 22
Handre Pollard put in a commanding performance at outhalf as a more pragmatic South Africa beat Australia 30-22 in their second Rugby Championship Test in a rainy Cape Town on Saturday to reignite the defence of their title.
Australia had stunned the world champions 38-22 in their competition opener in Johannesburg the previous weekend as the hosts tried to play an expansive game plan with ball in hand and were picked off.
This time round they turned it into an aerial contest, marshalled superbly by Pollard, who kicked 15 points to go with tries by wing Canan Moodie, number eight Kwagga Smith and lock Eben Etzebeth.
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Australia were in the fight all the way and put in another excellent display as they scored three tries through wings Corey Toole and Max Jorgensen and hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa.
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“It was greasy out there but we played well,” Pollard said. “Our defence was good at times, though we also gave away some silly penalties. There is a lot to work on, but we take this result.
“We have wings who are unbelievable in the air and it is something the boys put a lot of effort into. We know there is a bigger plan with our squad and we trust the process.
“Our forwards also stepped up in those last 10 minutes to win us some penalties.”
Australia might rue the bounce of the ball that did not go their way at times, but it was another performance full of character and fight.
“It was a great physical battle out there and I am super proud of my boys. We fought right to the end,” captain Fraser McReight said.
“It has been a tough two weeks over here. There were a few moments where if we got the ball back our way, the result could have been different. But that is the beauty of rugby.”
Australia lost fullback Tom Wright and scrumhalf Nic White to injury in the first 13 minutes, and centre Joseph Suaalii at half-time, but their bench again came up trumps again to keep them within touching distance of the Springboks.
A try for Toole on debut briefly had Australia in front early on, but South Africa led 20-10 at the break despite the visitors seeing plenty of possession.
Australia had the chance to take the lead with 12 minutes remaining but outhalf James O’Connor missed a relatively simple conversion.
With the game in the balance, Etzebeth’s stretch close to the line extended South Africa’s lead to eight points and they held on for what was a much-needed victory following their second-half capitulation in Johannesburg.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 1 min: Pollard pen, 3-0; 5: Pollard pen, 6-0; 7: Toole try, O’Connor con, 6-7; 10: Moodie try, Pollard con, 13-7; 34: Smith try, Pollard con, 20-7; 40: O’Connor pen, 20-10. (Half-time: 20-10); 46: Jorgensen try, O’Connor con, 20-17; 56: Pollard pen, 23-17; 67: Paenga-Amosa try, 23-22; 73: Etzebeth try, Pollard con, 30-22;
SOUTH AFRICA: Aphelele Fassi; Canan Moodie, Jesse Kriel (capt), Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe; Handre Pollard, Grant Williams; Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Thomas du Toit; RG Snyman, Ruan Nortje; Marco van Staden, Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith.
Replacements: Eben Etzebeth for Nortje, Lood de Jager for Snyman (both 44 mins); Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu for Moodie (54); Cobus Reinach for Williams (60); Wilco Louw for Du Toit (63); Andre Esterhuizen for Mostert (66); Boan Venter for Nche (70); Marnus van der Merwe for Marx (77).
Yellow Card: Fassi (78 mins).
AUSTRALIA: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Corey Toole; James O’Connor, Nic White; Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Taniela Tupou; Nick Frost, Will Skelton; Billy Pollard, Fraser McReight (capt), Rob Valetini.
Replacements: Andrew Kellaway for Wright (3 mins); Tate McDermott for White (12); Tane Edmed for Suaalii (h-t); Jeremy Williams for Skelton (47); Angus Bell for Robertson (48); Zane Nonggorr for Tupou (52); Brandon Paenga-Amosa for Pollard (63); Nick Champion de Crespigny for Hooper (74).
