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.
New Zealand 18-25 Argentina, 67 minutes
Conceding that penalty is the final act of Sam Cane’s game - off he goes, replaced by Akira Ioane, Ardie Savea taking over the captaincy and on the openside.
PENALTY! New Zealand 18-25 ARGENTINA (Emiliano Boffelli penalty, 66 minutes)
It’s there, curling safely between the posts. Another three to Emiliano Boffelli, another three to Argentina, and a lead of seven points entering the final 15 minutes.
New Zealand 18-22 Argentina, 65 minutes
And that’ll please Argentina - a penalty against Sam Cane (the 12th against the All Blacks) for a pretty impetuous hit off the ball on Pablo Matera.
Here comes the tee...
New Zealand 18-22 Argentina, 64 minutes
Sam Whitelock has been an aerial menace all night, those battle-hardened hands again disrupting Julian Montoya’s throw, but sending it forward.
New Zealand 18-22 Argentina, 62 minutes
Another handling error from the All Blacks, who are beginning to look short of ideas. Argentina’s scrum begins to be forced backwards but Gonzalo Bertranou extracts the ball before too much damage is done, and his kick deflects into touch off a sliding Aaron Smith.
That’s Smith’s evening done - Finlay Christie replaces him at scrum-half.
New Zealand 18-22 Argentina, 60 minutes
Slightly sloppy from Argentina - a soft penalty to give away, Marcos Kremer always in front of the kicker as he pursues a hack up field.
But the All Blacks can’t make their territory count! Codie Taylor’s lineout is off the mark, and Matera punts long and high into the Christchurch sky to flip the field.
New Zealand 18-22 Argentina, 58 minutes
Can the All Blacks bust Argentina open? Not with that sort of run, Julian Montoya and Pablo Matera leading the way as ever and inviting the New Zealand carrier to take a seat.
Sam Cane is the next to try his luck - held up in midfield, and an unplayable ball will mean an Argentina scrum as we near the final quarter of the game.
PENALTY! New Zealand 18-22 ARGENTINA (Emiliano Boffelli penalty, 57 minutes)
Six from six. This has been a masterclass from Boffelli, another faultless strike from right of centre and 45 metres on the angle.
New Zealand 18-19 Argentina, 56 minutes
Another turnover from Julian Montoya! Collar popped over his broad shoulders, two All Blacks try to shift the hooker as he barnacles the ball, but the carrier has to hold on. Penalty to Argentina - Emiliano Boffelli will look to preserve his perfect record.
New Zealand 18-19 Argentina, 54 minutes
Will Jordan, ominously almost entirely absent from the action this evening, takes a hoist competently, offloading to Ardie Savea, who writhes out of a tackle. But a knock-on on the left ends that particular All Black adventure.
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