Australian Rugby Union

Australian Rugby Union

Australia Beats South Africa 25-17 to Top Rugby's Tri-Nations

By Dan Baynes
July 7 (Bloomberg) -- Australia, seeking a third southern hemisphere rugby championship, rallied for the second straight week to beat South Africa 25-17 and move atop the Tri-Nations.

The Wallabies, who trailed 17-0 after 15 minutes at Sydney's Telstra Stadium, scored 25 unanswered points including tries to Mark Gerrard, Stephen Hoiles and Matt Giteau. It was the second straight game the Wallabies kept their opponents scoreless after halftime.

Today's victory, which followed last week's come-from-behind win over top-ranked New Zealand, lifted Australia four points clear atop the standings with two matches remaining. The All Blacks would seal a third straight title by winning both home games. Australia won the Tri-Nations in 2000 and 2001.
South Africa, missing 20 of its top players, took a 14-0 lead within 10 minutes through converted tries by flanker Wikus Van Heerden and a 50-meter intercept by winger Breyton Paulse. Fly-half Derick Hougaard made it 17-0 before the Wallabies rallied with a Gerrard try and Stirling Mortlock penalty.
No. 8 Hoiles forced his way over at the start of the second half to tie the score before Springboks hooker Gary Botha was sin-binned in the 53rd minute for playing the ball when he was on the floor. Two minutes later, Giteau collected Gerrard's chip ahead and the inside center's momentum carried him over the line to make it 25-17.

The match was the last international in Australia for scrum- half George Gregan, 34, and 33-year-old fly-half Stephen Larkham, who are quitting Australian rugby to play in Europe after the World Cup. The pair combined as the link between forwards and backs in a record 76 Tests for the Wallabies.
After losing at home to New Zealand on June 23, South Africa coach Jake White left out 20 of his top players for the away matches to rest ahead of the World Cup starting in September.

To contact the reporter on this story: Dan Baynes in Sydney at dbaynes@bloomberg.net