Rugby Championship - Brisbane, 18 July 2015, 20:05 local, 10:05 GMT
Australia (7) 24 - 20 (13) South Africa (FT)

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Summary

Time Score  
 

Welcome to our live coverage of the second Rugby Championship Test of the season, between Australia and South Africa. New Zealand made a statement against Argentina on Friday, and the New Barbarians and Maori All Blacks just now showed the absolute depth of rugby in the Land of the Long White Cloud, so the Wallabies and Springboks will be looking to lay down a marker with teams in transition. Read Sam's Bruce's preview, and check up on some of the key Rugby Championship statistics. We've also carried a nice interview with Handre Pollard by Firdose Mooonda.

1

So here we go with Handre Pollard kicking off. Kick a little deep and Wallabies perhaps show intent by putting the pill through hands before roosting clear. Ball remains in play and Michael Hooper and Scott Fardy get the crowd rolling with a big hit on Schalk Burger.

2

Wallabies full of intent to run but Quade Cooper monstered in midfield and then Matt Giteau loses the ball in contact. Willie Le Roux kicks deep and Israel Folau returns straight into touch so Boks lineout on Australia 10m.

3

Boks building phases but struggling to cross the advantage line with one-out running from the loosies until Will Skelton concedes penalty for not retiring adequate distance.Handre Pollard drills the ball onto the post from 15 in from touch.

4

Wallabies clear, Will Genia collects bomb and now we're in Boks 22. Boks winlineout and Ruan Pieenar launches perfect box kick that Israel Folau spills in contact. First scrum.

5

Both team solid but Boks win easily and spin wide where Handre Pollard coughs an ill-judged offload. Wallabies on attack with Israel Folau and Scott Higginbotham combining well on right. Half break from Rob Horne on left.

8

Wonderful passage of play from Wallabies - 10 phases - but Will Skelton spills and Boks clear. Australia's back-rowere are playing very wide trying to spread play. No points but encouraging start from both teams. Full of intent.

10

Easy lineout to Scott Fardy at the front and Wallabies spread again. Three phases until another little mistake by Will Skelton. He's getting involved but just has hard hands at the minute.

12

Boks deny a strong scrum from Australia and return with interest. Schalk Burger picks and goes from the base and Damian de Allende breaks into oceans of space on right. Good scrum and both teams stayed up in long set-piece..

13

Boks come back left and Jesse Kriel goes close. Recycle and looking good but Handre Pollard spills the ball from left shoulder. Jannie du Plassis leaves the pitch to have a neck injury checked. Australia scrum 5m under posts.

14

Strong Boks scrum and Wallabies splinter, but Genia just able to clear channel one ball to touch. Michael Hooper offside at ensuing lineout to gift another scoring opportunity to Handre Pollard from the tee.

15 0 - 3

Pollard - penalty goal

16

Deep kick-off but Pollard easy opportunity to roost back to half-way.

17

Cooper fields deep clearing kick from Willie Le Roux, and combines well with Folau and Kuridrani. James Slipper hit hard but Matt Giteau loops and picks up pill to creat space, but Scott Higginbotham kicks deep. Too deep. We're back on 10m with Boks scrum.

18

Victor Matfield seems to have a left hamstring injury.

19

Matt Giteau appearing at first-receiver inside Quade Cooper, but Springboks' rush defence preventing too much attacking gain.

20

Some huge hits from Springboks defence, with Jannie du Plessis crunching Adam Ashley-Cooper there, and Schalk Burger effecting a penalty over the top of the ball.

21

Israel Folau makes a huge broken-field bust after defusing midfield bomb and Wallabies go left from ensuing breakdown, but Matt Giteau's looping pass too high for Rob Horne. Wallabies had until that bust been struggling to cross the advantage line in structured offence. Need to go forward to earn right to go wide. Strong Springboks defence.

22

23

Deep kick to clear from Quade Cooper but a little aimless and Willie le Roux has pace and space to come back into contact. Michael Hooper penalised for off feet at breakdown Australia 10 m.

25 0 - 6

Great scrummaging drive from Boks, and Wallabies eight penalised after going backwards and wheeling as if on ice.

26

Handre Pollard on target from 40 mietres. Another deep kick-off from Quade Cooper, and again it's way too deep affording easy possession and opportunity to clear.

27

Bismarck du Plessis penalised 45 metres from goal and Quade Cooper going for sticks. Pushes the kick right..

28

Blood bin.

29

Great break for Australia on right flank, with Tevita Kuridrani offloading to Israel Folau from cutout ball from Quade Cooper, and Rob Horne breaking, but Wallabies adjudged to be offside at ensuing breakdown.

31

Michael Hooper goes wide from halfback after Scott Fardy wins lineout, and Wallabies have space but they lose the ball at the breakdown.

32 5 - 6

Wonderful try from Adam Ashley-Cooper. Scott Fardy pings off the top of the lineout and Michael Hooper feeds from halfback. Matt Giteau at fly-half feeds Quade Cooper at second five and he feeds immediate inside ball to Ashley-Cooper to exploit space and go under sticks for 31st Test try. Decoy run from Tevita Kuridrani.

33 7 - 6

Cooper - conversion

35

Scott Higginbotham wins RSA lineout, but aimless high clearing kick from Quade Cooper to Willie le Roux. Aimless kick back and Israel Folau makes a half break. Boks kick back and Genia clears back to Australia 10m.

36

Boks win lineout and put the ball through hands with le Roux combining with Habana.

37 7 - 11

Chip kick from Pollard and Habana beats Folau. Le Roux picks up crumbs and feeds Eben Etzebeth to cross for first Test try in corner.

39 7 - 13

Excellent kick from wide on left touchline.

40+1

Boks going through phases and now on Australia 22. Pollard links wide with le Rouzx and Pietersen, but Boks spill the ball. Asutralia attempt to run from 22 and throw awful ball that Damian de Allende collects and is just stopped.

40+2

Jesse Kriel just held short. Wallabies effect turnover on tryline and clear ball over dead-ball line. Combative game to this point. Springboks on top in possession and territory, and that's reflected on the ball. Well be back after oranges.

 

Australia need to do better at the breakdown, and to kick more accurately; their kicks are aimlessly deep, and hence they're conceding cheap possession. South Africa undoubtedly will look to produce more of the same, but they can perhaps expect more opposition at the breakdown in the second stanza. Anyway, here we go with Quade Cooper.

40

Genia is off with a knee injury. Kick again too deep and Boks collect easily and clear to halfway from Ruan Pienaar.

41

Plenty possession for Australia but they're going nowhere and the Springboks win a penalty as they keep Michael Hooper off the ground, Kick deep inside Australia 22 and win the lineout.

42

Accidental offside Springboks but wonder if Australia want the scrum. Clear well with Higginbotham scooping channel one ball and Rob Horne roosts.

44 7 - 18

Sensational try Jesse Kriel on Test debut exploiting awful tackles. Handre Pollard sets up Willie le Roux to run across field to hit Bryan Habana who offloads to Kriel, and the centre outstrips poor defence.

45 7 - 20

Interesting back-row now for Australia! Pocock going to No.8. Interesting lineout options.

47

Australia putting ball through hands as Springboks hold off in defence. Springboks effect turnover, but Pocock charges down clearing kick and then chases down Habana in end goal. Scrum 5 Australia to right of posts.

48

Good scrum from Australia. Solid. Pocock passes from the base and they creat opportunity on short right side but poor pass from Quade Cooper to Tevita Kuridrani, and centre knocks on.

49

All change now in Springboks front-row. Win a penalty at their first set-piece with Australia pinged for angling in.

50

Australia now have another lineout option after Higginbotham's exit. South Africa win lineout and march from 22 to 10m with maul.

51

Australia build phases but little damage before appalling kick to no-one from Cooper. Springboks clear deep into Australia 22 and Wallabies have to build again. Ashley-Cooper cruelled by Damian de Allende.

52

Strong determined runs from Michael Hooper and James Slipper before winning penalty with Ruan Pienaar offside. Directly in front, 25 metres out. Credit Springboks defence for Wallabies looking lateral in attack. Australia must get more reward at breakdown. Just one-out runners and lateral play at the minute.

54 10 - 20

Cooper - penalty goal

55

David Pocock is sparking some reward up front for Wallabies; pack looking more dynamic in phase play, more direct. Folau bends the line in broken play and the Wallabies come back left where Matt Giteaus is isolated high. Maul forms and turnover ball. Too easy for Boks defence.

59

Strong scrum from the Wallabies, pushing back Boks and Adriaan Strauss goes to ground as the set-piece wheels. Much back slapping from the Wallabies' forwards. seemed Wallabies weren't scrummaging straight either, but such is the art of front-row penalties. Quade Cooper awful off the tee, the ball missing left of the posts.

60

Matt Giteau makes a huge bust, slicing through outside centre channel on right but Izzy Folau on inside can't collect pop pass with line begging. Pass too high.

62

Nigel Owens stern with front-rows. You keep this up, he orders twice. Scrum promptly collapses on engagement.

63

Strong hit from Australia but Greg Holmes goes down and South AFrica free-kick. Israel Folau drops the clearing bomb.

64

Australia offside in midfield, which explains lack of space for Boks. Passing was slow however. Penalty fails to reach touch as Drew Mitchell collects and passes back to Michael Hooper who dishes off to Quade Cooper who clears to halfway.Scrappy but effective.

66

Matts Toomua and Giteau combine well, and two pases later Drew Mitchell runs strong into 22 before bumping Pollard. Go right and back left where Handre Pollard wins breakdown from Fardy. Wallabies just too few shirts at the ruck.

67

Matt Giteau leaves the field very short of breath after crunching hit on ribs.

68

Poor lineout from Strauss. Overthrown and Nick Phipps has Australia on front foot. Hard runs from James Horwill and Scott Sio and Kuridrani but all one-out. Boks penalised for going off feet at ruck. Very kickable penalty but Quade Cooper kicks for 5m lineout.

69

Wallabies win lineout and set Pocock for maul but told by referee Owens to use it. Three phase later and Rob Simmons loses the ball forward in contact. Marcell Coetzee, meanwhile, can't even hobble off as he has a right leg injury.

70

Immense Australia scrum and Michael Hooper drives Schalk Burger back over the tryline. Australia 5m scrum.

72

Scrum going nowhere before Springboks front-row goes down. Packing again for the penalty.

73 15 - 20

Folau goes first phase from Phipps, but Wallabies recycle and Michael Hooper crashes over inside dummy-running James Horwill. Scott Sio immense at the scrum, monstering replacement tight-head Malerbe.

74 17 - 20

Cooper - conversion

76

South Africa win the lineout and rumble to own 10m. Box kick and Izzy Folau flies highest to win ball. South Africa offside in midfield and Australia finishing strongly. Matt Toomua influential for Australia. Matt Giteau back on the paddock and going for goal from in front on the 10m line. Kick never quite had the legs. Looked almost a little chip kick and died under black dot.

78

Australia collect clearing dropout on halfway and commence phase play up the middle.

79

South Africa effect one final turnover, but then go to ground at the breakdown. Australia go for the corner. South Africa pay penalty fopr trying to run clock by stopping playing.

80

Australia win the lineout and set up maul but Springboks defend well. Australia moving ball right but can't breach line.

80+1 22 - 20

Kuridrani - try

80+2 24 - 20

Giteau - conversion

 

Recycling and Horwill and Toomua held up. Tevita Kuridrani goes over the line, stopped short but rolls. May be held up. Referee goes to TMO. Try yes or no? Immense tackle from Francois Louw, but Schalk Burger couldn't quite keep the ball from touching the line. Wallabies have stolen an amazing victory. South Africa had the game won everywhere but the final whistle. It's never over till it's over. Be sure to log on to Scrum5 on Tuesday when Andy Witers, Sam Bruce and Brett Mckay will discuss the opening round of the Rugby Championship.

Timeline

Time Australia  Score  South Africa
0 start of first half start of first half
13 JN du Plessis - sub off
Malherbe - sub on
15 0 - 3 Pollard - penalty goal
17 JN du Plessis - sub on
Malherbe - sub off
Matfield - sub off
de Jager - sub on
25 0 - 6 Pollard - penalty goal
28 Louw - sub off
Mohoje - sub on
32 Ashley-Cooper - try 5 - 6
33 Cooper - conversion 7 - 6
37 7 - 11 Etzebeth - try
39 7 - 13 Pollard - conversion
40+2 end of first half end of first half
40 start of second half
Phipps - sub on
Genia - sub off
start of second half
Louw - sub on
Mohoje - sub off
44 7 - 18 Kriel - try
45 Pocock - sub on
Higginbotham - sub off
Holmes - sub on
Kepu - sub off
7 - 20 Pollard - conversion
47 JN du Plessis - sub off
Malherbe - sub on
49 Mtawarira - sub off
van der Merwe - sub on
BW du Plessis - sub off
Strauss - sub on
50 Skelton - sub off
Horwill - sub on
54 Cooper - penalty goal 10 - 20
57 Horne - sub off
Mitchell - sub on
65 Slipper - sub off
Sio - sub on
Cooper - sub off
Toomua - sub on
67 Cooper - sub on
Giteau - sub off
Pienaar - sub off
Reinach - sub on
Pollard - sub off
Lambie - sub on
69 Mohoje - sub on
Coetzee - sub off
73 Hooper - try 15 - 20
74 Cooper - conversion
Giteau - sub on
Cooper - sub off
17 - 20
76 Kriel - sub off
Mvovo - sub on
80+1 Kuridrani - try 22 - 20
80+2 Giteau - conversion
end of second half
end of half
24 - 20 end of second half
end of half
0
82 Giteau - conversion 24 - 20

Notes

 
Result Australia won by a margin of 4 points
Rugby Championship points Australia 4, South Africa 1 (1 losing bonus)
 
Ground name Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance 37633
 
Referee N Owens (Wales)
 
Australia Test debuts none
South Africa Test debuts JA Kriel

Teams

Australia South Africa
Tries Ashley-Cooper (32), Hooper (73), Kuridrani (80) Tries Etzebeth (37), Kriel (44)
Cons Cooper (33, 74), Giteau (80) Cons Pollard (39, 45)
Pens Cooper (54) Pens Pollard (15, 25)

Match stats

Australia   South Africa
3 Tries 2
3 from 3 Conversion goals 2 from 2
1 from 4 Penalty goals 2 from 3
57.0% Kick at goal success 80.0%
0 Dropped goals 0
Kick/pass/run
23 Kicks from hand 27
229 Passes 106
152 Runs 97
508 Metres run with ball 355
Attacking
61% (44%/79%) Possession (1H/2H) 39% (56%/21%)
63% (41%/86%) Territory (1H/2H) 37% (59%/14%)
8 Clean breaks 4
26 Defenders beaten 17
7 Offloads 6
117 from 126 (92.9%) Rucks won 68 from 70 (97.1%)
7 from 8 (87.5%) Mauls won 4 from 5 (80.0%)
18 Turnovers conceded 11
Defensive
114/17 Tackles made/missed 189/26
87.0% Tackling success rate 88.0%
Set pieces
6 won, 0 lost (100.0%) Scrums on own feed 7 won, 1 lost (87.5%)
11 won, 0 lost (100.0%) Lineouts on own throw 12 won, 2 lost (85.7%)
Discipline
8 (1) Penalties conceded (Freekicks) 9 (0)
0/0 Yellow/red cards 0/0

Aust stats

Pos   T/A Pts K/P/R MR CB DB OL TO Tack LO Pen Y/R
FB Folau 0/0 0 1/10/23 108 1 10 3 5 1/1 0/0 0 0/0
W Ashley-Cooper 1/0 5 1/2/14 62 2 3 0 0 6/2 0/0 1 0/0
C Kuridrani 1/0 5 1/3/19 74 0 4 2 2 7/1 0/0 0 0/0
C Giteau 0/0 2 0/14/8 35 1 2 0 3 6/0 0/0 0 0/0
W Horne 0/0 0 0/1/4 30 1 2 0 0 5/1 0/0 0 0/0
FH Cooper 0/1 7 13/34/5 8 0 1 0 1 5/0 0/0 0 0/0
SH Genia 0/0 0 4/39/0 0 0 0 0 1 6/1 0/0 0 0/0
P Slipper 0/0 0 0/1/4 7 0 1 0 0 11/1 0/0 1 0/0
H Moore 0/0 0 0/3/8 6 0 0 0 1 9/2 0/0 0 0/0
P Kepu 0/0 0 0/1/1 0 0 0 0 0 11/0 0/0 0 0/0
L Skelton 0/0 0 0/5/8 5 0 0 1 2 4/3 1/0 1 0/0
L Simmons 0/0 0 0/5/6 5 0 0 0 1 10/1 4/0 0 0/0
F Fardy 0/0 0 0/4/8 23 1 0 0 1 5/1 6/0 1 0/0
F Hooper 1/0 5 0/8/7 14 0 1 1 0 12/0 0/0 1 0/0
N8 Higginbotham 0/0 0 1/4/3 23 1 0 0 1 6/1 0/1 1 0/0
(P) Sio 0/0 0 0/1/3 6 0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0 0/0
(P) Holmes 0/0 0 0/0/5 3 0 0 0 0 1/1 0/0 0 0/0
(L) Horwill 0/0 0 0/1/8 24 0 0 0 0 3/0 0/0 0 0/0
(N8) Pocock 0/0 0 0/3/6 13 0 0 0 0 4/0 0/0 0 0/0
(SH) Phipps 0/1 0 0/84/1 2 0 0 0 0 2/1 0/0 0 0/0
(FH) Toomua 0/0 0 2/6/7 34 0 1 0 0 0/0 0/0 0 0/0
(W) Mitchell 0/0 0 0/0/4 26 1 1 0 0 0/0 0/0 0 0/0
Key T/A Tries / Try Assists Pts Points scored
K/P/R Kick / Pass / Run MR Metres Run with ball
CB Clean Breaks DB Defenders Beaten OL OffLoads TO TurnOvers
Tack Tackles made / missed LO LineOuts won on throw / stolen on opp throw
Pen Penalties conceded Y/R Yellow / Red cards

SA stats

Pos   T/A Pts K/P/R MR CB DB OL TO Tack LO Pen Y/R
FB le Roux 0/1 0 8/12/11 106 0 0 2 2 2/2 1/0 0 0/0
W Pietersen 0/0 0 0/3/5 11 0 0 1 0 7/1 0/0 0 0/0
C Kriel 1/0 5 0/1/9 81 1 6 0 0 6/2 0/0 0 0/0
C de Allende 0/0 0 0/1/9 49 2 3 1 0 15/6 0/0 0 0/0
W Habana 0/1 0 0/1/3 12 0 0 1 1 5/0 0/0 0 0/0
FH Pollard 0/1 10 11/12/8 33 0 1 0 3 11/4 0/0 0 0/0
SH Pienaar 0/0 0 6/57/1 0 0 0 1 1 0/3 0/0 1 0/0
P Mtawarira 0/0 0 0/1/3 3 0 0 0 0 7/0 0/0 1 0/0
H BW du Plessis 0/0 0 1/2/5 7 0 1 0 2 4/0 0/0 1 0/0
P JN du Plessis 0/0 0 0/2/3 3 0 0 0 0 8/1 0/0 0 0/0
L Etzebeth 1/0 5 0/1/11 22 1 2 0 0 15/0 4/0 0 0/0
L Matfield 0/0 0 0/0/0 0 0 0 0 0 3/0 1/0 0 0/0
F Louw 0/0 0 0/2/2 0 0 0 0 0 18/1 0/0 0 0/0
F Coetzee 0/0 0 0/3/7 12 0 4 0 0 15/2 0/0 0 0/0
N8 Burger 0/0 0 0/5/8 5 0 0 0 1 20/1 2/0 1 0/0
(H) Strauss 0/0 0 0/0/1 2 0 0 0 0 4/0 0/0 1 0/0
(P) van der Merwe 0/0 0 0/0/2 0 0 0 0 0 7/0 0/0 2 0/0
(P) Malherbe 0/0 0 0/0/0 0 0 0 0 0 8/1 0/0 0 0/0
(L) de Jager 0/0 0 0/0/7 5 0 0 0 1 18/0 4/0 0 0/0
(F) Mohoje 0/0 0 0/0/2 4 0 0 0 0 9/1 0/0 1 0/0
(SH) Reinach 0/0 0 1/3/0 0 0 0 0 0 1/0 0/0 1 0/0
(FH) Lambie 0/0 0 0/0/0 0 0 0 0 0 5/1 0/0 0 0/0
(C) Mvovo 0/0 0 0/0/0 0 0 0 0 0 1/0 0/0 0 0/0
Key T/A Tries / Try Assists Pts Points scored
K/P/R Kick / Pass / Run MR Metres Run with ball
CB Clean Breaks DB Defenders Beaten OL OffLoads TO TurnOvers
Tack Tackles made / missed LO LineOuts won on throw / stolen on opp throw
Pen Penalties conceded Y/R Yellow / Red cards

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