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Wallabies come from behind to beat 'Boks

Australia's George Gregan, center, releases the ball during the Tri-Nations Rugby Union Test against South Africa in Sydney yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Australia came from behind to beat a weakened South Africa 25-17 in Sydney yesterday and give veteran Wallabies Stephen Larkham and George Gregan a winning send off in their final home Test.

The Wallabies endured a horror start in the Tri-Nations Test against a Springboks outfit missing more than 20 of its top stars but determined to disprove accusations that South Africa was fielding a B-team.

The 51,000 crowd at Sydney Olympic Stadium gave Larkham and Gregan standing ovations as they ran out onto the field for the last time on home soil in Australian colors, with Larkham marking his 100th Test.

But the Wallabies were left flat-footed when Ruan Pienaar cracked their defense and sent Wikus van Heerden over for a try in the fifth minute, with Derick Hougaard's conversion sending South Africa to a 7-0 lead.

The home side had barely drawn breath before winger Breyton Paulse swooped on a loose pass from Australia's Nathan Sharpe then raced from deep within his own half for another five pointer, celebrating with a spectacular backflip.

Hougaard duly converted again to put the Springboks up 14-0, reducing the home crowd to stunned silence.

The shellshocked Australians then went down 17-0 in the 14th minute after an infringement from Sharpe resulted in a Springboks penalty.

The Wallabies regrouped and began to exert sustained pressure for the first time in the match, clawing their way back into the game on 22 minutes after a neat combination from the old firm of Gregan and Larkham.

Larkham quickly offloaded Gregan's looping pass to open the defense and send Mark Gerrard over the line, then skipper Stirling Mortlock converted to make it 17-7.

Growing in confidence, the Wallabies used their kicking game to turn around the South Africans and gain territory but were unable to break through a dogged Springbok defense.

A Mortlock penalty conversion in the 36th minute closed the gap further, bringing the score to 17-10 at half-time.

Australia came out from the break firing and almost scored just after the restart when Mortlock displayed some soccer skills to keep the ball in play on the touchline before the Springboks smothered the attack.

Number eight Stephen Hoiles then latched onto a Larkham pass for Australia's second try in the 44th minute, with Mortlock converting to lock the scores at 17-17.

Australia edged ahead for the first time in the match with another Mortlock penalty conversion and Springbok scrum half Ruan Pienaar's frustration showed when he was sin-binned for interfering at the breakdown.

The Wallabies took immediate advantage when a beautifully weighted chip kick from Gerrard found inside center Matt Giteau for Australia's third unanswered try.

Hougaard blew a chance to narrow the gap when he sent a penalty wide in the 66th minute.

The Springboks' error rate began to mount as they desperately tried to build pressure in the final ten minutes and South African heads began to drop when second rower Johann Muller was sin-binned in the 75th minute for punching.

South Africa tried to run the ball from Australia's tryline after the siren but Australia took possession and fittingly it was Gregan, playing his 133rd Test, who kicked the ball into touch to end the match.

The win put Australia at the top of the Tri-nations table with two matches left to play.
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