Sing this to the tune of Yellow Bird: ‘Yellow card, the Springboks have now got three … Yellow card, why is it always me?’
From Paul Lewis, The New Zealand Herald
Yes, for all the twaddle before this match about referees having it in for the Springboks, we saw the truth for the third time in as many matches – a yellow card in the opening minutes for centre Jaque Fourie after a dumb, unnecessary spear tackle. Hello sideline, goodbye credibility.
Yet the Wallabies, unlike the All Blacks, did not take advantage. Fourie had already come back on the field when Wallaby halfback Will Genia made a lightning bust, shifted the ball to prop Benn Robinson who somehow managed to pass behind winger James O’Connor with a try begging to be scored.
That was the difference between this match and the two tests against the All Blacks. The Wallabies, for all their running, passing and endeavour didn’t quite have the All Blacks’ accuracy and efficiency – or their jolting defence either.
In fact, the Boks copped another yellow card early in the second half when prop BJ Botha made an complete pig’s ear of trying to slow the ball down – and got sent off for a rest for persistent offending. He laid so lazily over the ball that he looked like a man lying on his towel on the beach.
It was a stark illustration: the South Africans are still not competing effectively at the breakdown under the new interpretations.
The Wallabies tried hard to turn the knife early. O’Connor just missed a try in the corner, courtesy of a Custer’s-last-stand tackle by Bryan Habana after a slick attacking run by Matt Giteau. Flanker Rocky Elsom made one fine break – but ruined it with an ugly kick ahead that sliced into Row R.
The Boks had few answers to the new style of play encouraged by the new interpretations. They tried to take it wide themselves and threatened a couple of times in the first half but the pass was either wrongly delayed or misdirected.
Their best moments came round the ruck with forwards like Schalk Burger, Ryan Kankowski and Danie Rossouw crashing through holes and offloading – but the kick still seemed to be their ‘comfort food’.
However, it took a try-saver tackle from flanker David Pocock to keep Habana from scoring late in the first half after good work by Kankowski and Burger.
The Wallaby scrum and lineout did just enough in the first half to survive and their running at least took them regularly into Bok territory where Giteau happily kicked the penalties for what looked likely to be a 12-3 lead at halftime.
Then Australia rocked the Boks just before the break. Elsom laid the foundations with a lineout win and some searching running; Giteau ghosted among three Springbok defenders to lay off a bouncing ball which winger Drew Mitchell only just juggled and jiggled to score.
More Wallaby penalties followed the break, before first five-eighths Quade Cooper was yellow-carded for a tackle very much like Fourie’s. At 23-3 down and, for a change, with the opposition down to 14 men, the Boks enjoyed a spell of superiority.
They brought on the old headhunter, Butch James, and the light-footed Juan de Jongh for the ineffective Morne Steyn and Wynand Olivier – and the forwards rumbled and crunched away at the Wallaby line before Fourie forced his way over for a try.
Prop Gurthro Steenkamp then scored after a forward drive from a Victor Matfield lineout win as the Wallabies visibly tired. Replacement kicker Ruan Pienaar missed both conversions – and it wasn’t enough. Genia slipped through a ruck gap at the other end and the match was sealed.
Elsom was the best forward on the paddock and best player overall. Giteau seems to have recovered his best attacking touches and O’Connor looked sharp and skilful.
For the Boks, Rossouw battled away bravely all match. But this is a bruised Boks outfit now, unhappily contemplating the long drop from the top. They have a lot to do; a house to re-build, starting with floors, walls and ceilings.
Australia 30 (D. Mitchell, W. Genia tries; M. Giteau 5 pen, J. O’Connor pen, con),
South Africa 13 (J. Fourie, G. Steenkamp tries; M. Steyn pen). Halftime: 17-3.
