Australia vs South Africa LIVE: Rugby Championship result and final score as Wallabies beat Springboks
The Wallabies and Springboks met in Adelaide looking to bounce back from defeats last time out
Australia bounced back from a humiliating loss in their last outing to beat world champions South Africa 25-17 at Adelaide Oval on Saturday to move to the top of the Rugby Championship standings.
Flanker Fraser McReight scored two tries and Man of the Match Marika Koroibete also crossed, with Noah Lolesio adding 10 points from the kicking tee in an assured performance at flyhalf.
The Springboks, looking for a first win over the Wallabies in Australia since 2013, besieged the home try line for lengthy periods, but Handre Pollard’s penalty was their only reward until Kwagga Smith scored two tries in the last five minutes.
Argentina, who topped the standings after thrashing Australia 48-17 in San Juan two weeks ago, take on the All Blacks in Christchurch in the second match of the round later on Saturday.
Advance Australia Fair
And South Australian tenor Mark Oates delivers a fine rendition of the Australian anthem.
South African national anthem
Sumari Botha, an Australian-based singer but the second cousin of the late, great South African scrum-half Joost van der Westhuizen, sings the South African national anthem, the Springboks players joining in arms and helped out by a healthy travelling or expatriate contingent of away fans.
Welcome to Country
Rosalind Coleman delivers the Welcome to Country, accompanied by the didgeridoo, greeting the two teams and wishing them both luck.
Australia vs South Africa
A gorgeous afternoon in Adelaide, sun beating down on the South African players as they make their way out of the corner of the Adelaide Oval. Ticket sales have beeen a little slower than Rugby Australia might have hoped, but there is a good crowd in.
Old warhorse James Slipper leads his side out on cap number 120, the captain joined at the front of the line by his two starting front-row colleagues.
Australia vs South Africa
I’m also rather intrigued by how South Africa use their backline. Willie Le Roux has been a vital steadying presence from the bench this year, but Damian Willemse has been backed in that roaming second distributor role. The creative Warrick Gelant should be an asset, too, if he is given opportunity to explore off his wing.
A vintage showing from Duane Vermeulen?
Jacques Nienaber spoke of choosing to back some of his players who had below-par performances in the defeat to New Zealand, including Duane Vermeulen. The number eight is of an age where a couple of bad Tests could end his international career, particularly with such depth in South Africa’s back-row resources. But on top form the 36-year-old remains a vital cog, with his ability at the breakdown and calm defensive leadership particularly valuable to the Springboks. His battle with Rob Valetini should be fun.
Australia vs South Africa
With no Michael Hooper, it’s another huge afternoon for the nascent Test career of Fraser McReight. An age-group star, McReight had to bide his time a little behind the regular Wallabies captain but he is almost laughably proficient over the ball and has added threat in the open field to his game. You feel that Australia will struggle to match South Africa’s pure power in the tight but McReight’s pilfering could lead to broken field opportunities.
Can South Africa get back on track?
Defeat to New Zealand felt, strangely, like a significant set back for South Africa, continuing a mixed summer as Jacques Nienaber continues to try and figure out how best to tweak a side that has not changed dramatically since that 2019 World Cup win.
Just five of Nienaber’s squad have ever beaten Australia in Australia, including Frans Steyn - looking rather svelte when producing this typically booming drop goal in 2007.
Australia pitch up in Adelaide
This is Australia’s first visit to Adelaide since 2004, and the Wallabies’ decision to remain at their training base rather than spend the week in Adelaide drew some criticism, though Dave Rennie’s squad have been out and about engaging in the community over the last couple of days.
James Slipper, stand-in captain while Michael Hooper takes a break from the game, hopes that his side can add a little extra “polish” to take their chances when they come.
“It comes down to creating opportunities and then taking them,” he said.
“We’re a team that, especially in these last five games, we’ve created a lot but probably haven’t had the polish to put them away or take points when they’re on offer.
“For us at training, it’s been a big emphasis to take those opportunities.”
Action already in Adelaide
About half an hour to go until kick-off on the third weekend of the 2022 Rugby Championship, but the first game of the day at the Adelaide Oval has already taken place. Australia and New Zealand’s women formed the first half of an entertaining double-header, continuing their preparations for the catchily named Rugby World Cup 2021 (playing in 2022).
Having been rather put to the sword by the Black Ferns last week, the Wallaroos produced a much improved performance on home soil, pushing their rivals all the way in a valiant 22-14 defeat, with Bienne Terita scoring twice on debut either side of 22 unanswered points for Wayne Smith’s side.
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