The South African Springboks maintained their unbeaten start in the 2024 Castle Lager Rugby Championship with a commanding 30-12 victory over Australia at Optus Stadium in Perth.
Despite challenging weather conditions and a scrappy contest, the Springboks delivered a clinical performance to outplay the Wallabies, scoring four tries and securing a bonus point to stay atop the tournament log.
The Boks led 11-9 at halftime and pulled away in the second half, scoring three more tries, all from driving mauls, while preventing Australia from crossing the try line.
This victory means South Africa has conceded only one try in 160 minutes of Test rugby during their two-week campaign Down Under.
While the match was far from a classic, with inclement weather and slippery conditions making handling difficult, the Springboks’ ability to adapt and capitalize on their opportunities proved decisive.
The contest was marred by uncontested scrums early in the second half, which arguably benefited the Wallabies, but South Africa’s dominance in the maul and their resolute defense ensured a comfortable win.
The match got off to a rough start for the Springboks, who spilled the kickoff, leading to an early penalty for Australia. Noah Lolesio made no mistake from 30 meters out, giving the hosts a 3-0 lead.
The wet conditions continued to impact both teams, but the Boks seemed to adjust better in the opening stages. However, they squandered two excellent scoring opportunities in quick succession.
First, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu dropped the ball with the try line at his mercy after a brilliant break by Cheslin Kolbe. Then, Makazole Mapimpi lost possession just short of the line after a great cover tackle by the Australian defense.
Despite these setbacks, the Springboks found redemption 15 minutes into the match. The Wallabies were penalized for not rolling away at the breakdown, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu slotted his first penalty to level the score at 3-3.
Moments later, Mapimpi made amends for his earlier mistake, setting up a try for Aphelele Fassi with a clever kick ahead. Fassi pounced on the opportunity to score, putting the Boks ahead 8-3.
The lead was short-lived, as Lolesio added another penalty for Australia after the Boks were penalized for holding on at the ruck. However, South Africa responded quickly, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicking his second penalty of the match to extend the lead to 11-6.
As the first half neared its conclusion, Australia gained some momentum, with Lolesio landing his third penalty goal to narrow the gap to 11-9.
The Wallabies had a chance to take the lead on the stroke of halftime, but Lolesio missed a relatively straightforward kick, leaving the Boks ahead at the break.
The second half began with a strong start from the Springboks. They forced an attacking lineout, and from the ensuing driving maul, Marco van Staden powered over the line for his second Test try. Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted, extending the lead to 18-9. Although Lolesio added a fourth penalty for Australia, the Springboks remained in control.
A series of injuries among the Australian front row forced uncontested scrums, a situation that favored the Wallabies by neutralizing the Springboks’ powerful pack. Despite this, the Boks continued to press forward, with Malcolm Marx emerging as the standout performer.
Marx scored twice from lineout drives, the first try coming after the Boks cleared their bench and the fresh legs made an impact. Although Handré Pollard’s conversion attempt hit the crossbar, the Boks had built a comfortable 23-12 lead with 15 minutes remaining.
Australia’s hopes of a comeback were dashed when Marx scored his second try, again from a well-executed maul. The Wallabies had no answer to the Boks’ driving play, and after the previous maul was illegally collapsed, resulting in a yellow card for Australian debutant Sere Uru, Marx crossed the line to put the game beyond doubt. Pollard added the conversion, pushing the score to 30-12.
In the dying minutes, the Springboks had a chance to add to their tally, but Pieter-Steph du Toit’s pass to Jesse Kriel went forward, ending the attack. Nonetheless, the Boks had done enough to secure a vital victory, winning back-to-back Tests on Australian soil for the first time since 1971 and reclaiming the Mandela Challenge Plate.
With this win, the Springboks have set themselves up for a strong finish in the Rugby Championship, and their performance in Perth will give them confidence as they prepare for their next challenge.
Source: SA Rugby
