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TRI NATIONS RUGBY: South Africa score eight tries in rout of Wallabies

Australia’s Peter Hynes, center, is tackled by Ricky Januarie of South Africa, left, during their Tri-Nations match in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Saturday. PHOTO: AFP

South Africa scored eight tries in a 53-8 win over Australia in the Tri-Nations on Saturday.

Left winger Jongi Nokwe was just one of a number of stars in the ’Boks side. He scored four tries in just his third match.

While the visitors were first on the board in the sixth minute through a Matt Giteau penalty, the whole first stanza belonged solely to the home side.

The hosts ran in four splendid tries, three by winger Nokwe and one by towering lock Andries Bekker.

Bekker found his way through the defense in the 10th minute after taking a wonderfully-timed pass from full-back Conrad Jantjes, who started the counterattack by hoisting an up-and-under on the Wallabies and winning the ball back in the air.

Fly-half Butch James converted the try to put South Africa into a 7-3 lead. Just three minutes later, Nokwe got the first of his tries when he went over in the left corner after No 8 Pierre Spies had picked up at the base and broke through the first line of defense.

Then on 26 minutes, Nokwe got his second after his pack had won a tight-head at the scrum. The ball was shifted wide and the winger had the easiest of run-ins for the try. James then added three points with a penalty before Nokwe sealed an outstanding first half for the ’Boks with his third try.

Australia though could have scored early on after Victor Matfield had failed to win a ball in a line-out just 10m out from the line.

The throw in by Bismarck du Plessis went straight into the hands of James Horwill, but he stopped just short of the line and, after a few more lunges at the line by his teammates, the Wallabies eventually turned the ball over.

Winger Lote Tuqiri also bungled a golden chance after 15 minutes when he failed to control a pass on the left touchline with no defenders in front of him. The ’Boks kept up their assault on the Australian defense from the off in the second period and quickly added two further tries to their score.

First, center Adrian Jacobs cut through the Australian midfield after collecting a pass from Jean de Villiers and then he stepped beautifully to beat Peter Hynes to score the fifth five-pointer.

Left winger Nokwe then wrapped up his afternoon’s work with his fourth try when he went looking for work on the right side of the field, took an inside pass from winger Odwa Ndungane and scored to put South Africa 39-3 up. Nokwe left the field shortly afterward with an injury.

The Wallabies pulled a try back before 60 minutes were up when replacement Drew Mitchell went over in the left corner.

The hosts though finished in style, scoring tries seven and eight from replacement Ruan Pienaar and Odwa Ndungane.
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