Rugby Championship: Australia squeeze past South Africa

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Highlights of Australia v South Africa at Patersons Stadium in the Rugby Championship

A last-gasp try from Rob Horne helped Australia record a 24-23 victory over South Africa in their Rugby Championship clash in Perth.

The success was the Wallabies’ first in this year’s competition and also marked the first time they have beaten a team ranked higher than them in the IRB standings since Ewen McKenzie took over as coach last year.

The hosts took the lead after just 80 seconds when Israel Folau charged over the try-line, but South Africa replied in kind through Cornal Hendricks before Morne Steyn’s six penalties allowed them to build a lead.

But the controversial sin-binning of Bryan Habana gave Australia hope in the last 10 minutes, with Horne reducing the deficit to one point in the 78th minute and Bernard Foley slotting over the conversion to clinch the win.

The result means the Springboks lose their unbeaten record and also cede top spot in the table to New Zealand, who are three points clear after their win against Argentina earlier on Saturday.

Australia made the best possible start when Folau took Matt Toomua’s pass to score from close range, although Foley failed to add the conversion.

Deficit

South Africa eventually found a rhythm and cut the deficit with Steyn’s first penalty before Hendricks’ unconverted score in the corner put the visitors ahead.

Foley then levelled the scores with his first penalty, but Steyn took advantage of indiscipline from Australia to slot over two more penalties, Foley striking once in reply to narrow the gap to 14-11 at half-time.

The kicking battle continued after the break as Foley’s penalty was eclipsed by three more successful efforts from Steyn, putting the Springboks into a commanding 23-14 lead.

But the contest swung on Habana’s supposed high tackle on Adam Ashley-Cooper just before the 70 minute mark, with Foley slotting over another penalty soon afterwards.

With the clock ticking down and Habana still off the field Australia started to pile on the pressure but their hopes looked to have ended when South Africa were awarded a pressure-relieving penalty just in front of their own try-line.

However, the normally reliable Steyn produced a bad error, failing to find touch with his kick and allowing the hosts to run the ball back at the depleted defence.

Replacement Kurtley Beale helped work the ball at pace to Folau, whose break and offload set things up for Tevita Kuridrani to play in Horne, with Foley adding the all-important conversion.