Wallabies stun Springboks at Ellis Park from 22-0 down in Rugby Championship
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Australia toppled South Africa at Ellis Park for the first time in 62 years with a sensational 38-22 comeback win from 22-0 down in the Rugby Championship opener on Saturday.
The Wallabies scored a remarkable six straight tries against the double world champion and Rugby Championship titleholder to earn one of their greatest wins in the professional era.
Australia came to the highveld battle-hardened from the narrow home series loss to the British and Irish Lions, but its record in South Africa made it an obvious underdog. It hadn’t won in South Africa since 2011 or at Ellis Park since 1963.
The Springboks underlined their credentials by sprinting to 22-0 in 17 minutes with three well-made tries.
But they never scored again.
Australia didn’t panic, absorbed the blows, tightened its defense and watched a Springboks side packed with 18 World Cup winners surprisingly wobble as the pressure was returned.
The Wallabies, down 22-5 at halftime, didn’t go ahead until the 64th minute through captain Harry Wilson’s second try and last act of the match. They added two more tries to finish the stronger team at an altitude in which they have traditionally struggled for decades. This was only their second ever win over the Boks at their spiritual home in 92 years.
“At 22-0 down, there was real courage again from the players,” Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt told broadcaster SuperSport. “We were forced to take a few risks and there were a few lucky bounces for us, so we are not going to get too carried away.
“At the same time I am incredibly proud of the group. I am realistic about getting a little bit of luck, but delighted we came back. Nineteen-sixty-three was a long time ago so the players are delighted.”
Following the heaviest defeat by the Springboks since Rassie Erasmus took charge in 2018, the coach admitted he was embarrassed to go to the press conference.
“We were really awful,” he said. “They beat us in most departments. We didn’t scrum them, they beat us in the lineouts, and they bullied us at the breakdown after Siya Kolisi went off and Marco van Staden had to go off for an HIA.
“Tactically, we totally overplayed every time we thought something was on. I don’t think they tactically outsmarted us but they physically dominated us, and the interesting thing is that the longer the game went on they were supposed to struggle but it just shows what Joe Schmidt is building there.”
Second half comeback
Wilson opened the second half scoring a soft try from replacement prop Angus Bell’s pass into a gap 25 meters out.
Len Ikitau limped off and Australia patched the midfield with Andrew Kellaway, and put flyhalf backup Tane Edmed on the wing for the injured Dylan Pietsch.
Australia blew two consecutive attacking lineouts to narrow the 22-12 gap, and managed it only when rugby league convert Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i intercepted flyhalf Manie Libbok from 55 meters out for his first test try.
They finally hit the front when fullback Tom Wright set up Wilson, who appeared to be cramping as he crossed the try-line for a second time. Wilson left.
Two minutes later, a giant double miss-out pass by James O’Connor released right wing Max Jorgensen to score another long-range try. The fourth goalkick by O’Connor, the fourth-choice flyhalf playing his first test in three years at age 35, sent Australia 33-22 ahead with 14 minutes left.
South Africa and its renowned ‘bomb squad’ of replacements couldn’t break the inspired Wallabies.
The coup was completed with five to go. Just outside the Australia 22, Jesse Kriel’s overhead inside pass to Andre Esterhuizen was knocked on straight to Wright, who cantered to the other end.
South Africa start fast
The Springboks feasted on Italy and Georgia last month but Erasmus gathered them for the Australia game a week earlier than scheduled, a compliment to the Wallabies’ resurgent effort against the Lions.
The decision paid off early.
Wing Kurt-Lee Arendse jogged in for the opening try inside two minutes. Libbok converted, added a penalty, then hit the post when he tried to convert a long-range try finished by center Esterhuizen.
Five minutes later, captain Kolisi was over. At 22-0 after 17 minutes, the lack of tension prompted the crowd of 51,300 to do a Mexican wave.
Ruck penalties against South Africa gave Australia momentum, and Ikitau looped around O’Connor to free left wing Pietsch for Australia’s first points after a half-hour.
But Pietsch walked off soon after, clutching his jaw after tackling Kolisi’s shoulder.
Pietsch and Wilson are doubts for the second round in Cape Town next Saturday.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
