The Springboks were always going to need something special to pull off a win in their Tri-Nations opener against the Wallabies. Brent Russell provided that bit of magic as South Africa maintained their good record at home against Australia, with a 26-22 win over the world champions.
Russell, an early replacement for injured fullback Jaco van der Westhuyzen, helped himself to a try, while he also set up SA's second five-pointer, a crucial score in the final analysis.
The match started off well enough for the Springboks when Van der Westhuyzen fielded a high ball from the Wallabies, but that simple act could have destroyed his World Cup dream, with the Bok No.15 limping off immediately afterwards.
It was confirmed at half-time that Van der Westhuyzen tore the ligaments in his left knee, ruling him out of action for at least three months.
But Van der Westhuyzen's departure did not have an affect on the home side, with the energetic Russell breathing life into the Bok side just minutes after his arrival.
He ran with purpose and verve, teasing the Wallaby defence with every step he took, and with his forwards controlling the ball well through a series of phases, he was on hand just two minutes after he replaced Van der Westhuyzen, to round off the first try-scoring movement of the day.
Fly-half Louis Koen added the conversion and the Boks held a handy 7-3 lead – after an early Matthew Burke drop-goal.
The home side continued to pressurise the Wallabies, who were battling in the line-outs, with three throws going astray, but when former Cape Town boy Daniel Vickerman claimed some clean line-out ball the Wallabies put Wendell Sailor over for a try off a clever inside ball from his fellow Rugby League convert Mat Rogers.
Burke added the extras to put his side ahead by 10-7, but Koen equalised soon afterwards with his first penalty attempt in the 28th minute.
Another Koen penalty saw the Boks creep ahead at 13-10 before another moment of Russell brilliance led to their second try of the afternoon.
Sailor had made some ground down the right-hand touchline and after getting past Thinus Delport he chipped the ball in-field to his team-mates. While it seemed like a clever enough move at the time, Sailor managed only to kick the ball straight to Russell on his own 22-metre line.
The little Sharks utility set off immediately, leaving a trail of Wallabies on the ground, before finding support from De Wet Barry. The Bok No.12 found Russell in support again, who in turn found Stefan Terblanché, before the final pass going to lock Victor Matfield, who was up in support.
Koen, predictably, added the two points, but he missed a penalty on the stroke of half-time to leave his side ahead by 20-10.
The Wallabies got into their stride in the second half, outscoring the Boks by 12-6, but the home team managed to hold on after their rousing first-half display.
Interestingly, as with the start of the match, the Boks once again lost a player to injury, with centre Marius Joubert not returning after the first half. He was replaced by Gcobani Bobo, with the Lions man having a solid half alongside the big hitting De Wet Barry.
Barry, recalled to the side after an absence of nearly one year, rattled the Wallabies' cages with some ferocious hits in the crucial inside centre position, and that helped unsettle his opposite number, rookie Steve Kefu. Barry did, however, blot his copy-book when he was yellow-carded early in the second period for a foul at the tackle.
The Wallabies ran in two second-half tries, through Phil Waugh -- in Barry's absence -- and Joe Roff, but Koen's boot kept his team ahead at crucial moments, with the visitors continually having to chase a try in the latter stages of the match, instead of just a penalty, many of which were in kicking distance.
As it turns out, Matthew Burke did not have one penalty attempt at goal, with the much-talked about Bok discipline holding out at key moments -- except for Barry's 10 minutes in the sin bin, despite some huge pressure from the Wallabies.
For Wallaby coach Eddie Jones his team's line-out and ball control will be of major concern, while Bok coach Rudolf Straeuli and his charges will be full of confidence after this win, with the All Blacks in wait in Pretoria next week.
The Boks, however, have not beaten the Kiwis since 2000 -- something they will be keen to rectify next week, with this win coming at just the right time after uninspiring victories over Scotland (twice) and Argentina in June.
Man of the Match: A host of contenders here, with the passionate Springboks providing most of them. There was Lawrence Sephaka's work-rate, Victor Matfield's line-out prowess, Corné Krige's defence, Louis Koen's boot, De Wet Barry's punishing defence and Russell's running from the back. For the Wallabies, hard-working flank Phil Waugh stood out, powerhouse No.8 Toutai Kefu and the clever Mat Rogers. But our final vote goes to Brent Russell for his match-winning effort on attack and defence. Yes, the little man can tackle, with a try-saving tackle on Toutai Kefu in the 22nd minute.
Moment of the Match: Sailor's try was impressive, so, too, Russell's, but our moment was Victor Matfield's try, started, of course, by the Bok pocket-rocket from the edge of his 22. The Boks showed good skill and composure when the move could so easily have broken down, but it was down to Russell, who did the initial running.
Villain of the Match: Wallaby replacement Lote Tuqiri gets our vote here for his "little" flurry of kicks and/or punches on Springbok hard man Rob Kempson. Sure, Kempson is no angel, but Tuqiri was lucky to escape any censure.
The Teams:
Australia: 1 Patricio Noriega, 2 Brendan Cannon, 3 Bill Young, 4 David Giffin, 5 Daniel Vickerman, 6 David Lyons, 7 Phil Waugh, 8 Toutai Kefu, 9 George Gregan (c), 10 Elton Flatley, 11 Joe Roff, 12 Mat Rogers, 13 Steve Kefu, 14 Wendell Sailor, 15 Matthew Burke
Reserves: Owen Finegan, Steve Larkham, Ben Darwin, Adam Freier, Nathan Sharpe, Lote Tuqiri
Unused: Chris Whitaker
South Africa: 1 Richard Bands, 2 Danie Coetzee, 3 Lawrence Sephaka, 4 Victor Matfield, 5 Bakkies Botha, 6 Wikus Van Heerden, 7 Corne Krige (c), 8 Juan Smith, 9 Joost Van Der Westhuizen, 10 Louis Koen, 11 Thinus Delport, 12 De Wet Barry, 13 Marius Joubert, 14 Stefan Terblanche, 15 Jaco Van Der Westhuyzen
Reserves: Gcobani Bobo, Selborne Boome, Robbie Kempson, Brent Russell, Dale Santon, Pedrie Wannenburg
Unused: Craig Davidson
Attendance: 48678
Referee: Walsh s.r.
Points Scorers:
Australia
Tries: Sailor W.J. 1, Roff J.W.C. 1, Waugh P.R. 1
Conv: Burke M.C. 2
Drop G.: Burke M.C. 1
South Africa
Tries: Matfield V. 1, Russell R.B. 1
Conv: Koen L.J. 2
Pen K.: Koen L.J. 4
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