Superb Wallabies defeat Springboks

The Wallabies have scored a terrific 16-9 win over South Africa at Subiaco Oval on Saturday night to bring the Tri Nations to life.

The two try to nil win by the Wallabies sees them join the Springboks and All Blacks on one win apiece at the early stage of the competition.

The crowd of 41,838 was just short of capacity at the Perth venue and eclipsed all AFL crowds so far in 2008. They saw a match that went right down to the last minute with a drop goal from Berrick Barnes sealing the Wallabies victory.

Rocky Elsom, Lote Tuqiri and Peter Hynes were the standouts for the Wallabies, with Elsom getting the nod for man-of-the-match.

The first half try came from Tuqiri after a terrific team set up from a line out, with captain Stirling Mortlock carrying three Springboks on his back to score the only try of the second half.

He soon went off with concussion after a knock to his head as George Smith took over the captaincy and led the team to victory as he became the most capped Wallabies forward of all time.

The Springboks were well led by Juan Smith and Jean de Villiers, but the lack of a try on their last Tri Nations Test of this trip was costly. Penalty conversions to Francois Steyn and Butch James still left them seven points short.

South Africa opened the scoring six minutes in when Steyn converted a penalty kick.

The Springboks had their best chance to get a try 32 minutes in when hooker Schalk Brits, who came in for the suspended Bismarck du Plessis, could have put Bryan Habana in out wide, but he held onto the ball and Hynes brought him down.

The Wallabies made them pay just minutes later with the only try of the half. It came about from a line out falling into the arms of Smith, who was waiting out back and after terrific passes from Elsom, Nathan Sharp, Matt Giteau and Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tuqiri crossed in the corner.

Giteau missed the conversion, but the Australians led 5-3 at the break.

The Wallabies made a great start to the second half with Mortlock crossing for a tremendous try to see them up 10-3. Mortlock pushed off a Springbok tackler, then carried three more on his back to walk over and ground the second try of the match.

Giteau and James then converted opposing penalties soon after to see the Wallabies still lead 13-6.

A poor late tackle call from referee Bryce Lawrence almost led to a Springboks' try with 15 minutes to go.

The referee ruled that Giteau tackled JP Pietersen late, when Giteau was simply run into after the South African kicked. The resulting line out saw Habana get to the try line, but Ryan Cross helped knock the ball out just before it was grounded.

It was Habana's last action as he immediately came off and iced his shoulder and with 10 minutes to go Steyn kicked his second penalty to put the Springboks within four.

The South Africans continued to attack, but the Australians held on well with the defence standing up and the Barnes drop goal with a minute remaining sealed the Wallabies win.

Wallabies 16
Tries: Tuqiri 1, Mortlock 1
Penalties: Giteau 1
Drop Goals: Barnes 1

South Africa 9
Penalties: Steyn 2, James 1
@Subiaco Oval, Perth; 19/07/08. Crowd: 41,838