2011 Tri-Nations
Australia vs South Africa
Sydney, Australia
ANZ Stadium
Saturday, 23 July
Australia………………(15) 39
Springboks…………….(6) 20
The Springboks got their 2011 Tri-Nations campaign off to a terrible start with a 39-20 loss to Australia in Sydney today. The Springboks, who have been depleted by injuries to star players, went into the game with one of the least experienced Bok sides in recent history, and it showed throughout the 80 minutes the ANZ Stadium.
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| Australia's Digby Ioane fends off Morne Steyn to score Photo: AFP |
Peter de Villiers side’s woes started as early as the 8th minute when they conceded a try from a sloppy turnover. After Australia were penalised at the scrum for an early engagement the Boks took the ball up quickly, but the ball was sloppily lost in the tackle in a promising position. Mercurial Wallaby flyhalf Quade Copper then launched a counterattack from deep inside his half which ultimately resulted in prop Ben Alexander scoring after good interplay.
Australia were on the front-foot again straightway by fielding the kickoff. Wallaby scrumhalf Will Genia then ran at the Springboks and poor tackling by the visitors allowed winger Digby Ioane to score for Australia in the 10th minute.
South Africa had to wait till the 30th minute for their first points and they came through the boot of Morne Steyn as the flyhalf slotted over a penalty. On the stroke of halftime Steyn added another three-pointer to have the teams go into the break at 15-6 to Australia.
But the game was sealed by a horrible start to the second half by South Africa.
Three minutes after the restart the Boks allowed Australia to spread the ball through the hands and Cooper’s vision combined with Wynand Olivier’s shoddy defence allowed Adam Ashley-Cooper to find James O’Connor with a long pass, and the winger scored a third try for the hosts.
Again South Africa failed to consolidate from the restart allowing Australia back into their half. The hosts promptly won a penalty after the visitors collapsed a maul. Australia set up a lineout inside the Springboks 22-metre area, secured the lineout and after a couple of passes Australian hooker Stephen Moore sliced through more hap-shod Springbok defence to score a bonus point try in the 48th minute.
Five minutes later more poor Springbok defence resulted in another given away which O’Connor kicked over to give Australia a 32-6 lead in the 53rd minute.
But things got even worse for the Boks soon afterwards. Ruan Pienaar’s pass was intercepted and after some slick interchange between the backs and forwards Ashley-Cooper got his name on the scoresheet with a try in the 55th minute
South Africa did pull two tries back late on through Chiliboy Ralepelle and captain John Smit, but by then it was too little, too late.
Match Stats | |
Australia | South Africa |
Tries: 5 Alexander, Ioane, Moore, O’Connor, Ashley-Cooper | Tries: 2 Ralepelle, Smit |
Conversions: O’Connor (4) | Conversions: Lambie (2) |
Penalties: O’Connor (2) | Penalties: Steyn (2) |
Drop goals: - | Drop goals: - |
Teams
Australia
1. Sekope Kepu
2. Stephen Moore
3. Ben Alexander
4. Rob Simmons
5. James Horwill
6. Rocky Elsom
7. David Pocock
8. Ben McCalman
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Digby Ioane
12. Pat McCabe
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. James O`Connor
15. Kurtley Beale
Replacements
16. Saia Faingaa
17. Pekahou Cowan
18. Nathan Sharpe
19. Matthew Hodgson
20. Scott Higginbotham
21. Nick Phipps
22. Anthony Faingaa
South Africa
1. Dean Greyling
2. John Smit
3. Werner Kruger
4. Flip van der Merwe
5. Alistair Hargreaves
6. Deon Stegmann
7. Danie Rossouw
8. Ashley Johnson
9. Ruan Pienaar
10. Morné Steyn
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Wynand Olivier
13. Juan de Jongh
14. Bjorn Basson
15. Gio Aplon
Replacements
16. Chiliboy Ralepelle
17. CJ van der Linde
18. Ryan Kankowski
19. Jean Deysel
20. Charl McLeod
21. Adrian Jacobs
22. Patrick Lambie
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