Australia v South Africa LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as dominant Springboks rout Wallabies
Australia 7-33 South Africa: The world champions showed their superiority at Suncorp Stadium to open their Rugby Championship campaign with a win
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South Africa showed their strength in a dominant performance as they kicked off the Rugby Championship with a 33-7 win over Australia in Brisbane.
The Wallabies had been three wins from three under new head coach Joe Schmidt, but were comfortably second best at Suncorp Stadium, unable to match the world champions’ set-piece superiority and physical edge. The Springboks were in total control for the entire contest, scoring thrice before half time having won the territorial battle, and adding two more tries after the interval to make totally certain as hot-stepping wing Kurt-Lee Arendse capitalised with a couple of scores.
Australia had their chances in the second half, but will rue their profligacy inside the visitors’ 22, coughing up possession repeatedly in advanced areas. For a young side in rebuilding mode after Schmidt’s appointment, there were signs of encouragement defensively but the hosts’ kicking game and attacking accuracy was short of the standards required to match Rassie Erasmus’ fearsome side.
The pair will meet again in Perth next week with the Springboks seeking just a second Rugby Championship crown since Argentina’s addition to the competition as they look to unseat defending champions New Zealand.
Follow all the latest reaction from Suncorp Stadium below:
New Zealand 30-35 Argentina, 74 minutes
It’s getting tense. Tomas Albornoz hooks a kick straight into touch - out on the full, and a chance for the All Blacks to play.
Or not! Agustin Creevy again with a huge moment, coming up with a breakdown turnover inside his own half! All of his experience is showing, with Pablo Matera again prominent in the defensive set, too.
New Zealand 30-35 Argentina, 73 minutes
Argentina kick to touch. Pablo Matera tests his new studs by leaping at the front of the lineout - both ascent and dismount are clean.
Santiago Chocobares makes 20 yards with a piercing carry, but Ardie Savea steals breakdown ball.
New Zealand 30-35 Argentina, 72 minutes
This is already the most points Argentina have tallied against the All Blacks in 38 meetings. An askew Asafo Aumua lineout throw allows another minute to tick away; a scrum penalty to the Pumas means 60 seconds more slip by.
Pablo Matera needs new footwear, the Argentina captain having run himself into the vground. He’s still fit and firing; his boots are not.
TRY! New Zealand 30-35 ARGENTINA (Agustin Creevy, 69 minutes)
What a moment for Agustin Creevy! Argentina lead the All Blacks in Wellington!
Just a sixth try in 109 games for the hooker, but it’s his fourth against New Zealand! Argentina had loaded up their bench with six forwards and they make an impact here, first destabilising the scrum and then punching holes in the All Blacks defence. Joaquin Oviedo writhes to within a metre, Mayco Vivas goes closer still, but it’s Creevy who sends them into dreamland, burrowing beneath a couple of defenders like a prized truffle-hunting pig. Wow!
New Zealand 30-28 Argentina, 67 minutes
Error after error from the All Blacks, self-harming thrice inside their own half having stolen Argentina’s lineout ball! Two passes hit the deck, the second of them shimmying over the line, with Rieko Ioane trapped in-goal.
A five-metre scrum for Argentina - what an opportunity...
New Zealand 30-28 Argentina, 66 minutes
One of New Zealand’s younger thrusters is on, Wallace Sititi into the back-row fray. Asafo Aumua has replaced Codie Taylor, too.
Damian McKenzie’s low kick skuds over the surface and out of play about two metres short of the Argentina 22. Ethan Blackadder is penalised at the lineout, though, preventing his side from putting the pressure on.
New Zealand 30-28 Argentina, 64 minutes
On for this scrum is Agustin Creevy, somehow still trucking several months beyond his 39th birthday. The hooker is just so passionate about the Pumas, and you’d imagine they’ll have to physically wrench him out of that shirt. Efrain Elias, packing down in the engine room behind him, was a year old when Creevy won his first cap in 2005. Remarkable longevity.
No try! New Zealand 30-28 Argentina, 63 minutes
Damian McKenzie slides over but his grimace rather reflects a collective fear from the All Blacks that the fly half’s pass earlier in the movement may have been forward.
Indeed it was. McKenzie’s inside ball for Will Jordan was lovely, but tossed a yard in front of the replacement, who was already beyond McKenzie’s shoulder. A shame, because Jordan’s interchange with Jordie and Beauden Barrett was nice, and McKenzie took the try nicely thereafter, but back we go for another scrum.
New Zealand 30-28 Argentina, 62 minutes
Argentina clear up to halfway, but the All Blacks show venom and variety in attack, swift transfers creating space for Dalton Papali’i to roam into up the right.
The Barrett brothers combine to bust Argentina open! A suspicion of a forward pass in there, but onwards the hosts go...
New Zealand 30-28 Argentina, 60 minutes
At last, something for the big boys to cheer - an hour into this game and we finally have a scrum! Hallelujah! A knock-on from Cortez Ratima from a gorgeous Beauden Barrett offload and Gonzalo Bertranou will feed it.
It’s a long time since Angus Gardner’s pre-match chat with both front rows, so he takes a moment to remind both sides of what he is expecting. In and out quickly with Argentina wobbling a little, but possession is safely theirs.
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