Wallabies grab last-kick victory September 05, 2010
A long range penalty goal by fullback Kurtley Beale with the last kick of the match enabled Australia to defeat South Africa 41-39 in a thrilling Tri Nations match this morning.
The Wallabies scored four tries in the space of 17 minutes in the first half, spreading the ball wide with quick passes which enabled their pacy outside backs to rip open the Springbok defence.
They led 31-6 shortly before half-time but the Springboks came storming back to go ahead 36-31 with 11 minutes left.
The lead changed three times in a frantic finish before Beale, with his only kick at goal in the match, calmly booted the ball over from near the right touchline, just inside the South African half.
The win ensured that Australia would finish in second place with the world champion Springboks condemned to finish last in a tournament they won in 2009.
New Zealand, who have already clinched the title, meet Australia in Sydney next Saturday in the final match of the tournament.
"It's been a disappointing Tri Nations for us but believe me we know we have a lot of work to do," said Springbok captain John Smit.
Australian captain Rocky Elsom praised an "excellent effort" by his team.
"I couldn't ask for anything more," he told his players as he lifted the Mandela Plate, which runs concurrently with the Tri Nations as a contest between South Africa and Australia.
"The way you applied yourself to your work this week has been a credit to you."
The Springboks looked a beaten side when the Wallabies led 31-6 in the last minute of the first half.
But with the half-time siren already having sounded, lock Victor Matfield picked up a loose ball, chipped ahead and gathered his own kick before feeding centre Jaque Fourie who scored a try which was converted by Morne Steyn.
The fightback continued immediately after the break, with prop Gurthro Steenkamp and centre Jean de Villiers scoring converted tries, while two penalty goals by Steyn put the Springboks 33-31 ahead midway through the second half.
Another Steyn penalty put South Africa five points ahead and the home side seemed to have gained a decisive advantage when replacement hooker Saia Faingaa was yellow-carded for a spear tackle.
But the Wallabies produced another thrilling thrust which ended with wing Drew Mitchell scoring under the posts, and James O'Connor's conversion putting them two points ahead again.
With three minutes remaining, Steyn landed a penalty from near the right touchline to complete a perfect goal-kicking game and put his side ahead once more.
It was a result which seemed improbable when the Wallaby backs ripped open the Springbok defence in the first half.
Australia scored their first try in the eighth minute when a 50metre move ended with O'Connor racing down the right touchline and feeding Beale who crossed over untouched.
Six minutes later O'Connor was the man who finished off a move which started with a mistake by Springbok captain John Smit, whose throw in to a lineout near his own line went over his forwards and was picked up by the Australians who fed it quickly down the line to the flying right wing.
Hooker Stephen Moore and flanker and captain Rocky Elsom added further tries to the dismay of the home crowd.
South Africa fielded a starting line-up which had a total of 750 caps, their most experienced team in history, but a year out from the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand they have much about which to be concerned.
In particular the outstanding defence which took South Africa to victory in the 2007 World Cup in France took a battering in the Tri Nations, with 22 tries conceded in six matches, including 12 in their three home matches.
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