Australia produced a momentous comeback and scored six straight tries to beat South Africa 38-22 in the Rugby Championship on Saturday.
The world champions were beaten by the Wallabies at Ellis Park for the first time in 62 years following a stirring comeback from the visitors, as they rallied from 22-0 down to take a marvellous win.
The Springboks were cruising after three well-made tries but Australia didn’t panic and took their first lead in the 64th minute as captain Harry Wilson scored his second try.
Wilson opened the second-half scoring a soft try from replacement prop Angus Bell’s pass into a gap 25 meters out.
Len Ikitau limped off and Australia patched the midfield with Andrew Kellaway, and put flyhalf backup Tane Edmed on the wing for the injured Dylan Pietsch.
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Australia blew two consecutive attacking lineouts to narrow the 22-12 gap, and managed it only when rugby league convert Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i intercepted scrumhalf Grant Williams from 55 metres out for his first Test try.
They finally hit the front when fullback Tom Wright stepped Canan Moodie and set up Wilson, who appeared to be cramping as he crossed the try-line for a second time, and he left the field immediately following the try.
Two minutes later, a giant double miss-out pass by James O’Connor released right wing Max Jorgensen to score another long-range try as South Africa and its renowned ‘bomb squad’ of replacements couldn’t break an inspired Wallabies side.
The comeback was completed with five minutes to go when Jesse Kriel’s overhead inside pass to Andre Esterhuizen was knocked on straight to Wright, who cantered to score at the other end.
The Springboks feasted on Italy and Georgia last month but coach Rassie Erasmus gathered them for the Australia game a week earlier than scheduled, a compliment to the Wallabies’ resurgent effort against the Lions. The decision paid off early.
Wing Kurt-Lee Arendse jogged in for the opening try inside two minutes. Manie Libbok converted, added a penalty, then hit the post when he tried to convert a long-range try finished by center Esterhuizen set up by Kriel.
Five minutes later, captain Siya Kolisi slipped through a ruck defense to score. At 22-0 after 17 minutes, the lack of tension prompted the crowd to start a Mexican wave.
Ruck penalties against South Africa gave Australia momentum, and Ikitau looped around O’Connor to free left wing Pietsch for Australia’s first points after a half-hour.
Pietsch walked off soon after, clutching his jaw after tackling Kolisi’s shoulder but Australia seized upon the momentum swing and produced a marvellous victory, just their second at South Africa’s spiritual home in 92 years.
(Sky News)
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