Australia weathered one of rugby's most protracted cliff-hangers to secure a tense 30-26 Tri-Nations victory over South Africa in Perth. The Boks lead for long periods of the game, but in the end it was South Africa-born Wallaby Clyde Rathbone who delivered the coup de grace with a try in the 71st minute of play.
The match at the Subiaco Oval was filled with drama for the 42,000 crowd. The Wallabies scored four tries and thus won a bonus point. South Africa got a bonus point for losing by fewer than seven points.
Rathbone's winning try -- which took a careful effort from the television match official -- was scored in the right corner with replacement Matt Burke kicked the difficult conversion to put South Africa out of penalty goal range.
As the final whistle was imminent, the Springboks threw everything at the Wallabies in search of a winning try -- but to no avail.
Part of South Africa's problem was their inability to win possession. They lost seven line-outs to the more competitive Wallabies, and threw one in skew. They also lost a sloppy scrum. In addition, they again conceded more penalties than their opponents.
There was a great moment to start the match when George Gregan led his side out in his 100th Test, securing his status as one of the great players of rugby's history.
South Africa played into a stiff breeze in the first half as rain fall intermittently, but they led 16-15 at the interval.
South Africa scored first after they ran from a line-out and kept possession through several phases until Rathbone was penalised for going to ground at a tackle near the touch-line, and Percy Montgomery's place-kick went through off the up-right.
Then came a wonderfully athletic Australian try. From a line-out after AJ Venter had been penalised, Matt Giteau kicked a right-to-left high diagonal ball. Montgomery and Breyton Paulse were in the vicinity of the dropping ball but it was winger Lote Tuqiri who outjumped them, caught cleanly, twisted and scored. Matt Giteau converted from far out and after six minutes the Wallabies led 7-3.
South Africa responded by launching an attack on the left. Paulse came running round from the right wing and gave a pass to Jean De Villiers which looked to be forward. The wing, just in from touch, rushed ahead and then grubbered left-footed down into the Wallaby in-goal where Jaco van der Westhuyzen fell on it to score. Montgomery's conversion, relatively easy, went astray.
The Springboks come close again when Montgomery counter-attacked sharply, and only a brilliant tackle by Giteau on De Villiers saved the Wallaby line.
When Al Baxter was penalised at a scrum, Montgomery made it 11-7 to South Africa.
After Venter had been penalised for an early, tackle the Wallabies mounted an attack. They seemed to have an overlap but the pass to Rathbone went into touch. Still the Wallabies attacked, but it was the Springboks who scored!
On the bindside, Larkham passed to his right. De Villiers stuck out a hand, caught the ball and sprinted some 90 metres to score in the corner -- 16-7.
After the restart, Fourie du Preez kicked downfield, Tuqiri marked and suddenly Chris Latham was on the run. This created much space for the Wallabies on their right. Only an ankle-tap stopped Giteau until eventually the ball was out at the corner flag with a line-out to the home side.
The Wallabies mauled from the line-out but the Springboks shoved them sharply back. But Gregan got the ball to Larkham who slipped the on-rushing Van der Westhuyzen and got over in a tackle. Again an easy conversion was missed. 16-12 to South Africa.
After the Springboks had lost successive line-outs Gerrie Britz went off-side five metres from his line and slap in front of the posts, and Giteau made it 16-15.
Another Bok indiscretion early in the second half gave Giteau another penalty goal when Bakkies Botha was penalised for toppling Nathan Sharpe in a line-out. Australia led 18-16.
Soon afterwards the locals were guily used their hands in the ruck and the visitors stole pack the lead with a penalty.
Giteau then missed a penalty from in front, but the Wallabies ran the drop-out back. Larkham skidded past Eddie Andrews before feeding Latham who rushed it on, bumping off Montgomery to score. 23-19 to Australia.
At this stage Gaffie du Toit was on for De Villiers. De Wet Barry grubbered left-footed towards the Wallaby line and Du Toit brilliantly gathered the ball just short of the line and managed to touch down with Rathbone and Latham closing in. Montgomery converted to make it 26-23 to South Africa with 16 minutes to go.
Rathbone then ran back a deep ball and beat three men to put the Wallabies back on the attack. Burke broke and Latham sent out a brilliant, long pass to Rathbone who squeezed in on the right as Du Preez tackled him.
The Wallabies came close again when Latham appeared to ground the ball for a try, but the Springbok snatched up the ball from the in-goal and Du Preez ran and hoofed downfield. Rathbone saved brilliantly and -- after a long period of play -- Latham's action was referred to the television match official.
It was not a try, but in the proceeding passage of play Marius Joubert and Stirling Mortlock et al had an emotional moment which became a penalty to South Africa which they ran and ran and ran -- phase after phase -- without really troubling the yellow defence.
Man of the Match: There are many candidates for Australia Nathan Sharpe who did so much to deny the Springboks possession, George Smith who got his mitts just about everywhere, Clyde Rathbone and Lote Tuqiri with their strong running and Stephen Larkham for three moments of genius which made tries, and for South Africa ubiquitous, competitive, energetic Schalk Burger and Bakkies Botha who was brave and effective. But our Man of the Match, especially for this match, goes to George Gregan for the way he notched up his century with a strong, calm and decisive display.
Moment of the Match: There was that unusual moment of referral to the television match official after a long passage of play. There was Clyde Rathbone's burst downfield. There was Gaffie du Toit's pick-up and score. Our Moment of the Match is that athletic bit of commitment -- and immense concentration -- that spawned Lote Tuqiri's try.
Villain of the Match: There were silly moments but nothing too serious. One wishes that Marius Joubert and De Wet Barry would keep tackles lower, that Chris Latham would not feign innocence when he is naughty, and that Justin Harrison would not try to be the clumsy Wyatt Earp of the rugby field.
The Teams:
Australia: 1 Alastair Baxter, 2 Jeremy Paul, 3 Bill Young, 4 Justin Harrison, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 6 George Smith, 7 Phil Waugh, 8 David Lyons, 9 George Gregan (c), 10 Steve Larkham, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 12 Matt Giteau, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 14 Clyde Rathbone, 15 Chris Latham
Reserves: Matthew Burke, Matt Dunning, John Roe, Daniel Vickerman
Unused: Wendell Sailor, Chris Whitaker, Adam Freier
South Africa: 1 Eddie Andrews, 2 John Smit (c), 3 Os Du Randt, 4 Bakkies Botha, 5 Gerrie Britz, 6 A.J. Venter, 7 Schalk Burger Jr., 8 Jacques Cronje, 9 Fourie Du Preez, 10 Jaco Van Der Westhuyzen, 11 Jean De Villiers, 12 De Wet Barry, 13 Centre Marius Joubert, 14 Breyton Paulse, 15 Percy Montgomery
Reserves: Gaffie Du Toit, Joe Van Niekerk, C.J. Van Der Linde
Unused: Hanyani Shimange, Bolla Conradie, Brent Russell, Albert Van Den Bergh
Attendance: 42107
Referee: White c.
Points Scorers:
Australia
Tries: Latham C.E. 1, Rathbone C. 1, Tuqiri L.D. 1, Larkham S.J. 1
Conv: Giteau M.J. 1, Burke M.C. 1
Pen K.: Giteau M.J. 2
South Africa
Tries: De Villiers J. 1, Van Der Westhuyzen J 1, Du Toit G.S. 1
Conv: Montgomery P.C. 1
Pen K.: Montgomery P.C. 3
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