South Africa vs Wales LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as Josh Adams try and Gareth Anscombe conversion make history
Follow all the reaction from Bloemfontein as Wales beat the Springboks on South African soil for the first time
Replacement fly half Gareth Anscombe kicked a late conversion from the touchline as Wales claimed their first ever away victory in South Africa with an error-strewn 13-12 success over a much-changed Springboks at the Free State Stadium.
Wing Josh Adams crossed for the only try of the game with two minutes left on the clock, leaving Anscombe with a difficult conversion to win the game, but he landed the ball through the centre of the posts to make history for Wayne Pivac’s side.
Stand-in captain Handre Pollard kicked four penalties for a Boks side that had 14 changes in their starting XV from the first test win and never found any fluency in a game where they mostly dominated territory until the final 10 minutes.
The third and deciding test in the series will be played in Cape Town next Saturday.
Follow all the reaction below with our live blog:
Australia 7-22 England, 44 minutes
Messy restart defusal from England, letting it hit the deck and allowing Marika Koroibete steal in and nearly grab Nic White’s clever, floaty diagonal drop-kick. Koroibete knocks on - fortunate for the visitors.
PENALTY! Australia 7-22 ENGLAND (Owen Farrell penalty, 43 minutes)
Another simple enough job from the tee for Owen Farrell, who has been secure as you like after some wobbles with the boot last week.
Australia 7-19 England, 42 minutes
Right, England scrum on the left-hand side nearly halfway.
Billy Vunipola breaks from the back of it, asking Nic White to make a tackle - which the far smaller man eventually does, with a bit of help, with Vunipola ten metres to the good.
Taniela Tupou is offside soon after.
Australia 7-19 England, 41 minutes
Perese is applauded off. Non-contact knee injuries are rarely much fun, but that really wasn’t pretty. Best wishes to him.
James O’Connor will replace him. Dave Rennie is fortunate to have a man of his experience and versatility available. He’ll slot in at full-back.
Australia 7-19 England, 41 minutes
Oh no! Yet more injury misfortune for Australia: Izaia Perese’s knee buckles horribly as he comes down to earth after claiming a crossfield chip. That looks serious, and unplesant. Unlike Tom Banks’ similarly stomach-turning injury last week, we don’t get extended replays, thankfully.
Back out there
As expected, no Maro Itoje for England. A big 40 minutes for Ollie Chessum in the second row.
The clarity of Dave Rennie’s half-time messaging was strongly praised by the Wallabies last week - can Australia again assert themselves more after the break?
H/T: Australia 7-19 England
Indeed, England will be a little disappointed not to be further ahead. Some slight set-piece wobbles haven’t helped, and Taniela Tupou’s try keeps Australia very much amongst things given the trouble that Eddie Jones’ side have had putting teams away.
Here’s England’s opening score, which came from Billy Vunipola, who has been excellent so far:
H/T: Australia 7-19 England
A very tidy half from England, who have been largely in control in Brisbane from the word go. Behind a strong kicking game that has allowed them to dominate territory, the attack has been direct, fast and physical, wiht Marcus Smith playing a little flatter and varying things well.
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