DURBAN // Australia defeated South Africa last night for their first victory in South Africa since 2000. The defeat put the Springboks out of contention for the Tri Nations title, with the world champions struggling to gain possession and repeating errors from their 19-0 loss against New Zealand last weekend.
South Africa fans booed the team off the field at the final whistle. The Wallabies outscored South Africa by three tries to two and were 10-0 ahead at half-time. Australia lost the centre Berrick Barnes and lock Daniel Vickerman to injury in the first half. But despite Vickerman's absence, Australia dominated the line-outs, stealing three from South Africa in a reversal of pre-match expectations. The Australians won turn-over ball from the hosts 14 times during the match, and finished the game shoving the vaunted Springbok pack around in the scrums.
The flyhalf Matt Giteau opened the scoring with a ninth-minute penalty, and the prop Ben Robinson went over for a try which only the television match official could award. Giteau converted the kick. South Africa scored first after the break with a Butch James penalty, to which Giteau quickly replied with one of his own. Lote Tuqiri burst out of a poor tackle by Springbok scrum-half Fourie du Preez to get over for his 28th Test try, and Giteau's conversion was successful.
The Springbok centre Jean de Villiers gave fans some hope with a superb break up the middle, and his midfield partner Adrian Jacobs rounded off with a drive off the base of the ensuing ruck for South Africa to get back into the match. But from the kick-off, the Wallabies' captain Stirling Mortlock hit back with a try after he cut inside against the flow of play to wrongfoot the defence. Jacobs scored a second four minutes later.
* Associated Press
