Wallabies vs Springboks: Rugby live score updates, blog

 
Elisha Pearce Roar Guru
 

By , 8 Sep 2012 Elisha Pearce is a Roar Guru & Live Blogger

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    Australia Vs. South Africa

    2012 Rugby Championship, 9 September, 2012
    Patersons Stadium, Subiaco, Perth, WA
    Australia 26 defeated South Africa 19
    Australia South Africa
    26 FINAL SCORE 19
    2 TRIES 1
    2/2 CONVERSION KICKS 1/1
    4/4 PENALTY GOALS 4/5
    0/2 DROP GOAL 0/2
     
    Top scorers:
    • Australia - Barnes
    • B 16pts (2C 4G)
    Important moments:
    • Australia took the lead at the 70 min. mark 2nd half
    • Barnes, B (AUS) conversion at the 72 min. mark 2nd half
     
    Referee: N Owens
    Touch judges: W Barnes & G Jackson
    Sports Highlights
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    Tonight the Wallabies take on South Africa at Subiaco in Perth from 8.30pm. Join us here for scores, live blog, banter and commentary.

    This is a must win game for the Wallabies. After two fairly timid performances against the All Blacks the Wallabies have come under fire for not having an aggressive team mindset.

    Robbie Deans is officially on the coaching hot-seat if you listen to Australian Rugby fans.

    In the most recent match the Wallabies failed to score a point that is compounded by scoring only one try in their first outing. Tonight the Wallabies are going to need to find ways to bend and break the defensive line more consistently. They can’t wait for a moment of magic from the likes of Will Genia or Kurtley Beale to break a game open.

    The Springboks are under a certain amount of pressure themselves. They are coming off a draw with Argentina in Mendoza where they were the equivalent of the old boxer going through the motions being punched in the mouth by a younger, more energetic opponent. Argentina started faster and put the pressure on – the Boks were reeling on the ropes for much of the match.

    Until the last score of the game in the 65th minute, when Francois Steyn charged down a kick and followed up to score a try, the Boks were behind. That is not the kind of scrappy, lucky result that South African fans were expecting.

    Their form is linked back to letting England in for a draw in their third June test. In the first Rugby Championship match South Africa were very dominant but failed to fully kill off Argentina. People watching South Africa closely will expect energy and clinical finishing of scoring chances.

    Deans has made a few changes for this crucial encounter. Dominic Shipperley is getting his debut call up in place of the injured Drew Mitchell, Adam Ashley-Cooper reverts to centre and Beale returns to full-back in the starting side, Radike Samo gets the nod over bench-riding Scott Higginbotham, Ben Alexander is back in place of

    The most disruptive change is Stephen Moore’s mid-week hamstring injury that sidelined him from the starting side. Tatafu Polota Nau was due to return from his own injury on the bench, but has been called into the run-on, which in turn gives Saia Fainga’a a seat on the pine.

    Watch for the Wallabies to come out with similar intensity to the Eden Park test. They were hurt by not being able to register a point in that match and will be out to make amends.

    South Africa will be looking to make a faster start, also. They don’t want to rely on flukey tries to get a result again; those opportunities will hopefully be few and far between against a Wallabies side out to avenge a poor opening two games.

    Heyneke Meyer has rung a few changes of his own for this match, possibly feeling a little heat warming under his own coaching position.

    Andries Bekker and Jacques Potgeiter have both been dropped from the game-day 22, replaced by Juandre Kruger and Duane Vermulen in the second row and back row. This forces Willem Alberts into the seven jersey.

    Francois Houggard has been moved over to left wing in aid of Ruan Pienaar picking up a start from the base of the scrum. These two moves are interesting as it leaves Lwazi Mvovo, a safe kick returner on the bench and puts Houggard into a position he hasn’t played much this year. There is no further cover for the half-back position on the bench, so one of these two will play the full 80 minutes.

    Francois Louw is also going to return to the bench for the first time in this competition.

    There isn’t another match between Australia and South Africa in recent memory that carries the same level of consequence as this one. Both sides are perceived to be slipping slightly and need to arrest that backward momentum before it becomes a drop. Both coaches have varying levels of pressure to retain their position and both groups of players have past poor performances to make up for.

    All of this could make for a gripping match!

    Don’t forget to log on to The Roar at 8.30 for scores and updates! Join in the comments section, have your say and discuss the match with other Roarers.