Australia had to defend for their lives at the end, but they hung on to beat a never-say-die Springbok Women’s team by 33-26 (half-time 21-12) in a pulsating WXV 2 clash in front of a big crowd at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday afternoon.
With fog blowing in from the south later in the match after high temperatures hit Cape Town earlier in the day, it was the Wallaroos who kept the heat up to record victory, but the South Africans deserve credit for their tenacity. Spurred on by a very noisy crowd and with Springbok captain Siya Kolisi in attendance, the Bok Women came very close in the end and salvaged two bonus points in the process.
The Bok Women struggled with the Australians’ pace and slick handling, while the Wallaroos also played most of the rugby in SA’s half courtesy of some good kicking downfield by Faitala Moleka (flyhalf).
While South Africa can rightly feel they didn’t get enough reward for their strong scrum, they worked very hard and carried strongly, but they were also guilty of soft moments on defence and, while they missed too many lineouts, they kept the Aussies busy with some strong runs and kept on fighting until the end.
Unfortunately, they were on the backfoot from the start, with the Wallaroos scoring two tries in the first eight minutes, by Siokapesi Palu (flanker) and Georgina Friedrichs (centre), both converted by Moleka to make it 14-0.
The Bok Women hit back with a first Test try by Unam Tose, which was also South Africa’s first five-pointer against Australia, when the nuggety scrumhalf charged down a kick straight after the restart. Nadine Roos, who took over the kicking duties after Jakkie Cilliers left the field injured, missed the conversion, but the hosts were on the board.
Australia scored their third try three minutes later when Eva Karpani (prop) ran a great line to go over under the uprights, but the Bok Women were not done yet and with less than 10 minutes to go before half-time, Sinazo Mcatshulwa (flanker) crashed over for their second try.
Roos converted the try which came after the Bok Women showed great patience on attack, with the forwards keeping hammering away until the smallest of gaps opened up.
Australia went over right at the end of the first half, but the try was disallowed by the TMO, their second of the match which didn’t stand, and the teams went into the changerooms with the visitors leading by 21-12. It could have been more, but the Wallaroos had two tries disallowed by TMO calls.
With temperatures dropping and fog moving in, the Wallaroos started the second half like they finished the first and despite a yellow card for a high tackle, their wings, Desiree Miller and Maya Stewart, exploited space out wide for tries in the first 15 minutes of the half, pushing their lead out to 33-12.
Most supporters would have felt it was game over, but South Africa refused to lie down and after a period of sustained pressure in the Aussie half, Zintle Mpupha (centre) finally crashed over from a straight run off Roos, who added the conversion to make it 33-19 with seven minutes left on the clock.
Micke Gunter’s try off the back of a brilliant maul and Roos’s conversion made it a seven point game in the 79th minute, and from the restart the South Africans worked their way upfield, making 80m to withing a metre of the Aussie tryline before they conceded another penalty for sealing off, handing the victory to the Wallaroos.
