Springboks share the spoils with Wallabies in Perth

The Springboks may still be unbeaten in 2017 but they had to settle for a 23-all draw against the Wallabies in their Rugby Championship clash.

Jesse Kriel’s late knock-on and Elton Jantjies’s charged down drop goal attempt were the two golden chances the Boks didn’t capitalise on after getting some excellent field position to win the game.

Having trailed 13-10 at half time‚ the result was a fair reflection of how equally matched the sides were.

The Boks though weren't allowed to make their scrum and lineout dominance count by the resourceful Australian team who made the most of Glen Jackson's benevolent officiating.

Springbok captain Eben Etzebeth knew the Wallabies were going to come out guns blazing in the first half and indeed they did most of the running.

While Jantjies gave the Boks an early lead through a fourth minute penalty‚ Bernard Foley replied with his own three minutes later.

Australia should have scored in the 12th minute but electric fullback Israel Folau chose to straighten the line even though he had a man free on the outside.

The Boks tried to play percentage rugby but it was clear that Michael Cheika’s side wanted to land early blows.

Indeed it was the Boks who scored the first try through Kriel in the 25th minute.

The Wallabies were sloppy at a breakdown in their own 10m and quick thinking from Ross Cronje put Kriel away down the right wing.

Raymond Rhule chased down the kick and put Wallaby captain Michael Hooper under unbearable pressure and that allowed Kriel to scoop up the ball to dot down in the corner.

The Wallabies responded immediately through Kurtley Beale two minutes later as the Boks failed to collect the restart.

It’s a mistake they can ill-afford to make next week in Albany as the All Blacks are masters at stealing kickoffs.

Australia enjoyed a surfeit of possession and territory towards the end of the first half but were not able to convert it into tangible points scoring opportunities.

An example was a 23rd minute lineout in the Bok 22 where debutant hooker Jordan Uelese made a proper meal of his first lineout throw.

However‚ Australia were going to have to work hard to score from a maul as the Boks’ maul defence was on point.

Their scrumming was also exemplary as the Wallaby scrum repeatedly engaged early to avoid the second shove.

However‚ they could have gone into the break tied if Jantjies didn't miss relatively simple 31st minute penalty. Foley’s 40th minute penalty gave the hosts a deserved lead.

A breakdown in the Boks’ maul defence allowed Tatafu Polota-Nau to score seven minutes after the restart to give the Wallabies a 10-point buffer. For the first time this season‚ the Boks had to play catch-up rugby.

They went about that through Jantjies’s boot with a 54th minute penalty as Jan Serfontein’s 51st minute surge from the halfway line wasn’t converted into something substantial.

The try came five minutes later through Malcolm Marx from a rolling maul earned from a scrum penalty.

Livewire loose-forward Jaco Kriel was denied a deserved try by desperate tackling but South Africa’s scrumming power came to the fore‚ giving Jantjies a simple 68th minute penalty.

Both sides just couldn't find the extra gear that could have seen them claim the spoil as dogged defending was the trending theme in the last 10 minutes.

Scorers:

Australia: (13) 23 Tries: Kurtley Beale‚ Tatafu Polota-Nau Conversions: Bernard Foley (2) Penalties: Foley (3)

South Africa: (10) 23 Tries: Jesse Kriel‚ Malcolm Marx Conversions: Elton Jantjies (2) Penalties: Jantjies (3)