Wallabies scrape home at Suncorp

Like a thief in the night the Wallabies have stolen a four-point win thanks to a Tevita Kuridrani try at the death against the Springboks in Brisbane.

Australia were behind 13-7 at half-time and went further behind 20-7 on 44 minutes, after an outstanding score from Bok winger Jessie Kriel.

But the home team rallied late in the game and tries to Michael Hooper and then Kuridrani after full-time sealed a dramatic win.

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A rusty Wallabies looked off the pace early in their first Test of the season, with South Africa coming in off a warm-up match last weekend.

There was flashes of attacking brilliance in the first 40 minutes, with some nice offloading from the likes of Israel Folau and Adam Ashley-Cooper. The Australian scrum held up, for the most part, and the lineout was outstanding throughout.

Quade Cooper kicked the ball a lot in the first half, most of it poorly, while his goal-kicking could have been better. But the fly-half’s inside pass to a rampaging Ashley-Cooper on 33 minutes was sublime and the Tah crashed over for the first try of the night.

Ordinary execution and wrong options cruelled the Wallabies early on. Matt Giteau wasted an overlap with a wayward pass, Scott Higginbotham kicked the ball dead when he broke free in open play and the Wallabies lost the ball in the breakdown when in good positions quite a bit. Will Genia box-kicked several times, for little gain, and the Springboks’ back row was immense.

Australia had enough opportunities to win the game but basic errors were the issue. A poor kick-off and then a dropped bomb close to its own line led to South Africa’s first try three minutes before half-time. Willie le Roux remains the Boks’ most dangerous attacking weapon.

An ambitious behind-the-back pass from Cooper – some would say brain explosion – which went to ground almost led to another Bok five-pointer.

The Wallabies went into the sheds 5-3 behind on the penalty count and having made five linebreaks to South Africa’s one.

Giteau’s return to the green and gold was a mixed one while Australia’s breakdown work left a lot to be desired.

When Kriel stepped and beat three Aussie defenders just three minutes into the second period, with the Boks’ taking a 13-point lead, things looked bleak.

But a raft of influential substitutions, including the appearance of David Pocock and Nick Phipps, and some more direct play paid off. South Africa got their interchanges wrong and also had a spate of injuries to contend with.

Scott Sio was excellent for the Wallabies off the bench along with his Brumbies teammate Matt Toomua. England-bound James Horwill had his best game in a Wallaby shirt for years.

Essentially, South Africa tried to protect its lead and close out the game early and Australia took the initiative. The Boks kept bombing to Folau and the trio-coder kept leaping and taking them, dropping just one out of more than half a dozen that came his way.

Pocock and Hooper worked well together late in the game and some dominant scrums were vital for the Wallabies.

In many ways this was a game South Africa lost and should have wrapped up. Australia will have to play much better on their turf, let alone across the pond in New Zealand, to have a chance at securing another win over the Boks.

But Michael Cheika’s men can be pleased with the fact that they held their nerve, kept playing and got the crucial result in the end. They fought back and showed some real determination to scratch a victory. In a World Cup year this is essential.

Both Moore and Pocock demonstrated how important they are to Australia.

The Suncorp win gives them a platform to build on, as they ready to take on an Argentina side coming off a big loss. Tougher opponents, including the All Blacks and England at Twickenham, await.

Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson