Australia stun Springboks
Australia clung on to edge an attritional RWC quarter-final 11-9 against South Africa in Wellington.
Last Updated: 09/10/11 8:03am
Australia clung on to edge an attritional RWC quarter-final 11-9 against South Africa in Wellington.
Despite holding an early 8-0 lead, the Wallabies were on the back foot for long periods and needed some dogged defence to shut out the defending champions.
South Africa had bludgeoned away for long periods - dominating territory and possession.
But the better work at the breakdown from Australia frustrated them throughout, despite the much-vaunted Wallabies backline struggling to impress.
James Horwill scored the only try of the match for Australia, with James O'Connor keeping his cool to add two penalties
Despite all their chances, South Africa could manage just two penalties and drop goal from Morne Steyn.
Australia opened the scoring against the run of play through an opportunist effort. The Boks attempted to run the ball from their own line but they coughed up possession and Pat McCabe offloaded for Horwill to score.
O'Connor might have missed the conversion but he was on target with a penalty to put Australia 8-0 up after 17 minutes.
Pressure
Australia's success was built around their ability to win the battle of the breakdown - with David Pocock and Horwill to the fore.
And despite long spells of pressure in the Wallabies half, the Springboks could manage just one penalty from Steyn in the first half - with the fly-half off-target with two long-range efforts.
South Africa continued to batter away at the Australia defence after the interval and they thought they were back in the game when Pat Lambie touched down following an incisive break by Jean de Villiers, but play was pulled back for a forward pass.
The Boks, though, did cut the deficit to two points through the boot of Steyn on 55 minutes as the pressure began to tell on the Wallabies.
And South Africa took the lead for the first time through a well-struck Steyn drop-goal.
A mistake from Will Genia then almost let Fourie du Preez in, only for the cover defence to save the day, while Steyn was just wide with another drop-goal effort.
But an infringement by Victor Matfield at the line-out allowed O'Connor to step up and land a second penalty to put the Wallabies back in front with eight minutes left.
And despite a final flourish South Africa just couldn't find a way to snatch the win.
