Despite mounting a thrilling late fightback, a new-look Springbok side slipped to an agonising 42-38 loss against the Wallabies in a thrilling and often chaotic one-off Test in Perth on Sunday.
The Boks looked dead and buried when they trailed 37-17 after 60 minutes, but they clawed their way back into the game after the Wallabies received a string of yellow cards.
The Aussies were ripe for the taking late in the contest when they went down to 11 players after skipper Harry Wilson, Ryan Lonergan, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Hunter Paisami were shown yellow cards.
Time, however, ran out for the Boks as they pressed for a sensational comeback win.
Fielding an experimental side which showed 13 changes from the starting team that beat New Zealand three weeks ago, SA lacked the accuracy they displayed in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
Only veteran lock Eben Etzebeth and wing Ethan Hooker retained their places in the run-on team from the side’s 43-28 victory against the All Blacks in Baltimore.
Worries that there might be combination hiccups and a lack of cohesion in the Bok team because of the wholesale changes resurfaced during an unconvincing display by the world champions.
Ahead of the clash, there had been talk that the Boks had disrespected the Wallabies by fielding a team without many of their star performers.
The narrow win extended the Wallabies’ unbeaten streak under new coach Les Kiss.
The Boks made multiple changes after nine minutes in the second half in a bid to wrestle their way back into the game after Australia led 24-17 at the break.
Second-half tries from No 8 Wilson and wing Max Jorgensen enabled the Wallabies to open a commanding 42-17 lead after 63 minutes.
The Boks narrowed the deficit to 42-31 with a penalty try and a five-pointer from scrumhalf Morne van den Berg
It was the Springboks who landed the first blow of the game when flyhalf Handre Pollard slotted a penalty after the Wallabies were penalised at the breakdown by referee Andrea Piardi in the third minute.
The lead, however, was short-lived and the Wallabies were back on level terms at 3-3 when scrumhalf Lonergan kicked a penalty for the home team.
The Boks were over for the first try of the game when a powerful driving maul splintered Australia’s defence and burly hooker Johan Grobbelaar scored in the ninth minute.
With Pollard adding the extras, SA found themselves with a handy 10-3 lead after nine minutes, after dominating the opening exchanges.
Mistakes started to creep into the game, and neither side was able to stamp their authority on what had become a scrappy stop-start affair.
The penalty count was starting to mount against the Boks, who were forced onto the back foot, and the Wallabies made the pressure count when centre Ikitau dived over.
The dangerous Ikitau scored his second try when the Wallabies won an aerial battle close to the SA tryline.
Stung by this double setback, the Boks hit back with a spectacular try from flying wing Edwill van der Merwe to level the score at 17-17 after 30 minutes.
The Wallabies swarmed onto the attack just before the break and the pressure paid off when flyhalf Ben Donaldson crossed for his team’s third try to give them a 24-17 halftime lead.
It has been a hectic season for the Springboks, and the Australian clash was their 10th outing, starting with a match against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on June 20.
The Boks will now enjoy a well-earned break before resuming their Nations Cup campaign with a match against Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on November 7.
Scorers:
Australia 42: Tries: Len Ikitau (2), Ben Donaldson, Harry Wilson, Max Jorgenson. Conversions: Ryan Lonergan (4). Penalties: Lonergan (3).
South Africa 38: Tries: Johan Grobbelaar, Edwill van der Merwe, Penalty try (seven points), Morne van den Berg, Ox Nche. Conversions: Handre Pollard (2), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2). Penalty: Pollard.
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