BRISBANE, Australia, 3 August 2003 — The Wallabies ended their run of outs and responded to a week of relentless pressure with a scrambling 29-9 win over South Africa in their Tri-Nations rugby Test at Suncorp Stadium here on Saturday.
Under enormous pressure after three consecutive Test defeats to England South Africa and New Zealand, the world champions grabbed a hard-fought two tries to nil win over the Springboks, who had two players sin-binned by New Zealand referee Paddy O’Brien.
Led by man-of-the-match flanker Phil Waugh, hooker Brendan Cannon and center Mat Rogers, the Wallabies broke away from the South Africans in the second half on the back of an immaculate goal-kicking performance from inside-center Elton Flatley, who kicked five penalty goals and two conversions.
Rogers scored a try against the run of play a minute after half-time when he picked up a wayward pass from Springbok fly-half Louis Koen and raced 35 meters (115 feet) to score under the crossbar.
Waugh capped a rousing match when he finished off a passing rush to score in the right-hand corner three minutes from the end to clinch victory.
The sour note in the Australians’ much-needed victory was an apparent neck injury to number eight Toutai Kefu, who was slowly taken from the ground on the back of a motorised cart with his neck in a brace.
Kefu gave the final pass in Waugh’s try and appeared to be hit from behind by Springbok prop Robbie Kempson. He complained of numbness as medical staff carefully loaded him on to a stretcher.
The Wallabies had the chance to go in at half-time leading but skipper George Gregan opted to take a scrum and not give Flatley an easy kick at goal to break a 6-6 deadlock. The Australians pounded the line but the South African defense was watertight as it had been for all of the first half.
The Wallabies recycled the ball but prop Patricio Noriega lost possession and eased the pressure on the Springboks who kicked downfield and killed off the play by finding touch. The world champions opened brightly, as they had done the previous week against New Zealand, but Koen gave the Springboks first points with a fourth-minute penalty goal.
Flatley went close to scoring, just failing to pick up a loose ball near the South African line after Stephen Larkham put winger Lote Tuqiri screaming into a gap.
Flatley leveled with a ninth-minute penalty after South Africa were penalised for not staying on their feet in a contested ruck.
Prop Richard Bands made a thunderous tackle on Larkham and Australia conceded two successive lineouts on their own throw midway through the half.
South Africa peppered the Australian line but after concerted phases of play debutante centre Jorrie Muller’s pass was forced into touch with winger Stefan Terblanche unmarked on the right wing.
South Africa got a penalty out of the leadup play and Koen made no mistake with his second penalty for the Springboks to lead 6-3 after 19 minutes. The Springboks were penalized for not releasing the player in a maul and Flatley equalized with his second penalty three minutes later.
