Springboks show marked improvement to beat Wallabies

The Springboks have finally claimed their first Test win over the Wallabies in Australia since 2013.

After the disappointment of their loss in Adelaide last weekend, the Springboks came out guns blazing to register this 24-8 win over Australia at the Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

This bonus-point win refreshes their Rugby Championship hopes and has also snapped a two-match Test losing streak that was starting to pile pressure on coach Jacques Nienaber.

It was an impressive victory by the Springboks with four tries scored by Damian de Allende, debutant Canan Moodie, Franco Mostert and Malazole Mapimpi.

Pete Samu added respectability to Australia’s scoreboard when he scored their only try during the dying minutes to add to the penalty they scored earlier in the game.

The worry for Nienaber will be discipline as they ended the match with 13 men after Mapimpi and Willie le Roux were sent to the sin bin during the closing exchanges.

The Springboks took the lead through De Allende when he crossed the line after a spell where referee Ben O'Keeffe played penalty advantages with Damian Willemse converting.

Immediately after the opening try, the Wallabies lost Matt Philip to the sin bin but the Boks did not take advantage of their numerical supremacy as he returned to play with SA not having increased their lead.

The Boks wen to the break with a nine-point lead after exciting 19-year-old Bulls winger Moodie cut loose to collect a kick by Jaden Hendrickse to score on the stroke of halftime.

Moodie, who was playing schoolboy rugby about two years ago and is highly regarded by Bulls coach Jake White, became the second youngest Springbok debutant after Frans Steyn almost 16 years ago.

The match ended with youngster Moodie and Steyn on the field together.

The Boks got the second half off to a flying start with the third try by Mostert which came at the end of a delightful attacking move as they took their lead to 14 points.

The score could have been slightly higher but Willemse, who was playing at flyhalf in the place of injured Handrè Pollard and Elton Jantjies, could not find the middle of the poles after tries by Moodie and Mostert.

The Boks put this match beyond doubt when Mapimpi touched down at the corner for SA’s fourth try with Steyn converting to take their lead to 21 points with about eight minutes remaining.

That was Mapimpi’s last bit of action in the match as the flying winger was shown a yellow card after a scuffle with Marika Koroibete and it was followed by another altercation between Eben Etzebeth and Allan Alaalatoa.

The Wallabies scored their consolation try through Pete Samu in the dying minutes and it proved to be too little too late as the Springboks returned to winning ways.

The Boks turn their attention to back-to-back matches against an unpredictable Argentina at Vélez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires and Kings Park in Durban on September 17 and 24 respectively.

SA                   (12)     24

Australia        (3)       8

SA          

Tries: Damian de Allende, Canan Moodie, Franco Mostert, Malazole Mapimpi

Conversions: Damian Willemse (1), Frans Steyn (1)

Australia

Try: Pete Samu

Penalty: Noah Lolesio (1)

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