Match report: Improved Wallabies lose Springbok sequel in the rain
The Wallabies have lost to the Springboks 12-30 at a sodden Optus Stadium, but showed just enough promise in attack and defence to give some hope ahead of their upcoming trip to Argentina at the end of August
Last week in Brisbane, Australia played narrowly and without adventure. Under heavy rain in Perth, they chose to take the Wallaby way adding far more width to their game with the cross-field kick their frequently used compass around the field, regardless of the risks.
Australia’s Harry Wilson, left, is grabbed by South Africa’s Marco van Staden.Credit: AP
Read the rest of Jonathan Drennan’s match report here.
FULL-TIME: Springboks win 30-12
That’s it, folks.
The Springboks, the world champions, just way too good. Even when they’re fielding a second-string team and it’s bucketing down and the ball is a bar of soap, there’s not much the Wallabies can do.
Australia did well to hang in for as long as they could, but hanging in can only get you so far. At some point you need to lay a glove on your opponent and that didn’t happen. Meanwhile, the Springboks took their chances in the second half but left a lot of points out there in the first.
“A lot better from us today,” as Tom Wright puts it post-match on Stan. “But ‘almost’ doesn’t get it done, unfortunately.”
Lukhanyo Am goes high over Nic White.Credit: AP
So close again for the Boks
Nearly another for South Africa following a spectacular crossfield kick which puts Pieter-Steph du Toit in the clear on the right! A last-gasp intervention from Marika Koroibete keeps him from scoring and then his attempt at offloading to Jesse Kriel comes to nothing because it’s spilled. Oh boy.
Australia 12-30 South Africa, 77 minutes
Advertisement
Seru Uru’s night ends early, Boks in again
Seru Uru has just been yellow-carded for deliberately collapsing a scrum - a third penalty in short order given away by the Wallabies. That spells danger. The Springboks are in the left corner, another rolling maul… and that’s it. Too strong, too powerful, way too good. That’s try number four, this one to Malcolm Marx, it’s converted. It’s getting ugly now.
Australia 12-30 South Africa, 75 minutes
Neither team can keep the ball
The Wallabies were building again nicely in attack until Lukhan Salakaia-Loto coughs it up, spilling a ball off his chest right in front of the posts, about 20m out. The good news for them is the Springboks can’t keep possession either so they’ve got it back. Oh, wait, no, Harry Wilson is penalised for holding onto the ball for too long. So as you were, then.
Australia 12-23 South Africa, 71 minutes
TRY: Boks go bang
And there it is. Another rolling maul on the back of another lineout and the Wallabies were helpless to prevent that one from spilling over in the right corner. Malcolm Marx is the man who delivers the final blow by peeling off the pack and touching down. Handre Pollard misses the conversion.
It’s tough now for the Wallabies.
Australia 12-23 South Africa, 65 minutes
Advertisement
‘Anything is possible now’
Jorgensen brings the crowd alive
Really good break by the Wallabies as Tom Wright puts Max Jorgensen into space with a well-weighted kick. He tries to chip past Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu but he smothers the ball and the move ends there and then - but that was threatening like Australia rarely has been tonight. The crowd loved that.
Australia 12-18 South Africa, 57 minutes
Wallabies avoid another pushover disaster
Close shave for the Wallabies. It looked like another rolling maul was going to pay dividends for the Springboks, until Grant Williams peeled away, and it looked like he was going to send someone over the line but the referee blows the whistle - it’s a penalty for Australia on their own tryline for a penalty against van Staden.
In other news, the rain is absolutely bucketing down now, and Seru Uru has also come on for his Wallabies debut.
Australia 12-18 South Africa, 55 minutes
Advertisement
One step forward, one step back
James Slipper is currently off for an HIA which led to a lengthy stoppage in which there seemed to be some confusion over whether the Wallabies could replace him and what that would do to their scrum. Anyway. They’ve gone uncontested, we’re finally back, they’re trying to attack but can’t get past the green wall in front of them. They’ve not had many genuine forays forward tonight at all, Australia. And now they give away a penalty for obstruction. Silly.
