South Africa won their first match in Australia in four years and kept the Wallabies win-less in the Rugby Championship with a record 38-12 victory yesterday.
The Springboks won for the first time in nine visits to Brisbane in 42 years with a four tries-to-nil thrashing to remain unbeaten in the southern hemisphere series along with the All Blacks, who they face in Auckland next weekend.
It was the biggest win by the Springboks in Australia.
Photo: AFP
South Africa led 16-6 at halftime, but surged ahead in the second half with three tries in eight minutes.
Forward Coenie Oosthuizen, skipper Jean de Villiers, fullback Zane Kirchner and winger Willie Le Roux scored tries with Morne Steyn kicking three conversions and four penalties.
The Wallaby defense disintegrated in the second half in the face of a disciplined South African assault and dominant scrum and the home side finished without a try in another deeply disappointing display by the Australians, who have now lost five of their six Tests this year.
Photo: AFP
It was another triumph for coach Heynecke Meyer after the Springboks’ back-to-back wins over Argentina to keep the pressure on New Zealand in the Rugby Championship.
ALL BLACKS V PUMAS
Reuters
New Zealand’s Daniel Carter became the first man to reach 1,400 Test points, while Aaron Smith scored two tries as the All Blacks beat Argentina 28-13 at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton, New Zealand, yesterday.
Carter had started the game on 1,399 points and added 10 more to his tally, while Beauden Barrett kicked a late penalty for the All Blacks.
Scrumhalf Smith scored his two tries within three minutes of each other, while Pumas hooker Eusebio Guinazu was in the sinbin for a professional foul in the first half, before Julian Savea scored his 14th Test try in the second. No. 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamon scored an early try, while flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez added a conversion and two penalties for the Pumas.
Argentina had opened the scoring when debutant All Blacks center Francis Saili knocked the ball on inside his own half and the Pumas quickly transferred the ball to Leguizamon to give his a side a 7-0 lead after Sanchez converted.
However, the All Blacks seized control of the game by keeping the ball alive through several phases, while putting pressure on the visitors when they kicked for territory.
That pressure eventually told with Carter slotting a penalty that took him past 1,400 points.
Guinazu paid the price for a succession of penalties by the Pumas and was sinbinned, which allowed the All Blacks to strike.
Smith grabbed his first try after Kieran Read passed the ball out of a tackle by two defenders, then three minutes later, he fell on a kick ahead by Ben Smith after Carter had sparked a counterattack.
Sanchez added a penalty in the 30th minute to reduce the gap, although the constant rain began to take its toll on both sides’ handling and the home side held the 15-10 lead until the break.
Carter and Sanchez traded early second-half penalties, before the All Blacks charged down a clearing kick and spread the ball to an unmarked Savea.
Carter converted to give the home side a 25-13 lead and was then immediately replaced by Barrett, who slotted a late penalty.
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