Boks going backwards

While the Wallabies' star is clearly on the rise, the opposite appears to be the case for a Springbok team in decline.

That was graphically illustrated here yesterday as a young Wallabies side gave a glimpse of bigger things to come but for the Springboks there is the realisation that next year's World Cup may be a bridge too far for several of the Class of 2007.

This was a frenetic contest played at the break-neck speed both teams had expected. Although the Springboks changed their side to keep up with the lung-bursting pace of the Wallabies, they were still a yard or two short.

Poor discipline, a porous defence and a lack of application at the breakdown contributed to the Springboks' demise and they will have much to apply to their drawing board over the next three weeks.

It was at the breakdown, a source of much frustration in Auckland and Wellington in the last two weeks, where they were again found wanting.

While chopping the Springboks off at the knees with his interpretations at the ruck, referee George Clancy seemed to allow the hosts more latitude.

It is here where the brilliant David Pocock seized the moment and he certainly wasn't complaining. "I thought he was pretty consistent," said man-of- the-match Pocock of Clancy's performance.

The Springboks will feel equally aggrieved that Pocock was not banished to the sin bin when he appeared to commit a professional foul in the so-called red zone in the first half, especially after Jaque Fourie had been yellow carded for a similar offence.

Fact is, neither the Springboks nor Clancy decisively dealt with Pocock.

"Pocock was all over the breakdown," Bok captain John Smit confirmed. "He was massive and we just didn't match him.

"The breakdown is a massive part of the modern game. I think we were soft at the breakdown for most of the game," Smit said.

The Wallabies' proficiency at the ruck allowed them the platform to play a fast-tempo game, which allowed Will Genia and Quade Cooper to expose the Springboks to their trickery.

The Wallabies hit the rucks with greater ferocity and they were able to protect their possession with far greater zeal than the Springboks.

The ruck, however, wasn't the only area where the tourists were off the mark. Although they only conceded two tries yesterday, the Wallabies were all too frequently able to burst through the gain line.

"It's probably been the poorest facet of our game over the last three weeks," admitted Smit.

There was also an over-reliance on using the high ball when the Wallabies showed the value of keeping it in hand.

The gains the Springboks were able to make at scrum time and through the individual efforts of Danie Rossouw, Ryan Kankowski and Ruan Pienaar were offset by a lack of discipline that for the third straight week resulted in the tourists sacrificing players to the sin bin.

Fourie was yellow carded in the third minute for a dangerous tackle, while BJ Botha was deemed to have blocked the ball from exiting the ruck with the Wallabies within a sniff of the South African tryline.

"It saps the energy of the players. It's something they will be looking to get out of their game," Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said about the debilitating effect of losing players to the sin bin.

"It was a good day at the office," Deans said.

Gradually, the Wallabies were wearing the Bok defence down by probing intelligent angles and recycling the ball at speed.

Such was the efficiency with which they were clearing the ball from the rucks that the Springboks were forced into conceding penalties.

The hosts botched at least three try-scoring opportunities inside the first 25 minutes but Matt Giteau kept advancing them on the scoreboard thanks to the Boks' indiscretions. The Wallabies had to wait until the last move before half time before they made their way over the tryline.

The Springboks were made to pay for a lineout throw that served only to present Rocky Elsom the opportunity to have a crack at the defence.

He was apprehended but the Wallabies had gained so much momentum that the Boks' defensive lines were stretched. The ball was moved left and then right before Drew Mitchell struggled to gather the final pass but he eventually took possession of the ball and scored.

The Springboks played with more purpose throughout the second half but the Wallabies had far too much going for them.

SCORERS

Australia (30) - Tries: Drew Mitchell, Will Genia. Conversion: James O'Connor. Penalties: Matt Giteau (5), O'Connor.

South Africa (13) - Tries: Jaque Fourie, Gurthro Steenkamp. Penalty: Morne Steyn.