Rugby: Last-gasp win for Wallabies

The umpire signals the end of the game and victory for Australia's Wallabies over South Africa's...
The umpire signals the end of the game and victory for Australia's Wallabies over South Africa's Springboks during their tri-nation series match at Subiaco Oval in Perth, Western Australia. Photo by Reuters
Australia coach Ewen McKenzie praised his team's character after they rebounded from a hammering by New Zealand to beat South Africa in the Rugby Championship on Saturday, even if they needed a late try to do it.

The Wallabies were destroyed 51-20 by the All Blacks in Auckland a fortnight ago and a third straight loss to the Springboks since McKenzie took charge would have put the coach and team under huge pressure a year out from the World Cup.

Trailing 23-17 with two minutes to go, though, they produced their best move of the match despite the greasy conditions to put winger Rob Horne in for his fourth test try and allow Bernard Foley to kick the match-winning conversion.

"We knew it was going to be a game of character, coming from the loss in Auckland, we knew we needed to show some character," McKenzie told Fox TV.

"While it wasn't an extravagant scoreboard, a win against South Africa is no easy thing and to come from behind is even better."

After reshuffling his backline in the wake of the Eden Park debacle, McKenzie would have been delighted with the early returns when fullback Israel Folau scored a try inside the first two minutes.

A series of sloppy penalties allowed the Springboks back into the game, however, and the home side were trailing 14-11 at the break.

"We were happy with the first half but came out in the second half and promptly gave the ball away five or six times so ended up playing the rest of the game in front of our posts," McKenzie added.

"The scoreboard was getting away from us. We did well to get back into it and made the most of it with that try at the end."

The victory gave McKenzie his first win against a team in the top four of the world rankings after four defeats and a draw against New Zealand, two defeats to the Springboks and a loss to England on the last November tour.

The match probably turned on Irish referee George Clancy's decision to yellow card South Africa winger Bryan Habana for a high tackle on Adam Ashley-Cooper in the 65th minute.

"It was always going to be close, especially away from home, but I thought we were in control for large periods of the game," said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.

"But all credit to them, you can't keep them out with 14 men in the last 10 minutes, especially away from home.

"I almost thought we had it, but the margins in this competition are very, very small. No excuses, they've done it and showed a lot of character at the end."

For Habana, 10 minutes in the sin-bin was not the way he wanted to remember his 100th test - but he was typically magnanimous in defeat.

"Definitely not the result we were looking for and certainly that yellow card probably cost the team a little so I have to look at myself and see where I went wrong," he said.

"You have to give credit to them, they didn't stop believing, they didn't stop attacking, I think they tried to keep ball in hand as much as possible tonight.

"I think that shows character after the loss against the All Blacks a couple of weeks ago."

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