Rugby coach Joe Schmidt hails courageous Australia after famous win over South Africa
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Australia's No. 8 Harry Wilson running with the ball to score one of his two tries as South Africa fly-half Manie Libbok misses a tackle.
PHOTO: AFP
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JOHANNESBURG – Australia coach Joe Schmidt said he hoped a phenomenal 38-22 Rugby Championship comeback win over South Africa in Johannesburg showed his team are on the road towards earning respect.
The Wallabies, who had not beaten South Africa at Ellis Park since 1963, recovered from trailing 22-0 to beat the world champions and Rugby Championship title holders on Aug 16.
Following a torrid last few years, the victory continues Australia’s resurgence after being well beaten in the first Test against the British and Irish Lions, losing the second by just three points and then winning the dead rubber 22-12.
“This has got to rank very highly in terms of wins and for me personally, since usually you get absolutely swamped here in the last quarter,” said Schmidt.
“The players had to hang in there and I am really proud of the way they did that. You have got to earn respect every time you (play), you have to be really competitive in every game.
“We are still building our strength in depth and our game shape, but this is a great bunch of young men who have shown the ability to roll their sleeves up and earn that support.
“They deserve it and I hope there was really good support for them back in Australia.
“When the Springboks get their game going, when they are accurate, they are very hard to stop. In the first 40 minutes there was just wave after wave coming.”
Kurt-Lee Arendse, Andre Esterhuizen and captain Siya Kolisi crossed the line for the defending champions. Manie Libbok converted twice and slotted a penalty.
Schmidt admitted the first 20 minutes “was not good for the heart”, but Australia then took control of the game for a win that will rank among their best in Test rugby.
Captain and No. 8 Harry Wilson was the hero with two tries. Dylan Pietsch, Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii, Max Jorgensen and Tom Wright were the other Australian try scorers in the bonus-point win and veteran James O’Connor, recalled after a three-year absence, converted four.
“This win is right up there, especially since it has been 60-odd years since we tasted success in Joburg,” said veteran Australia prop James Slipper.
“It is such a special moment, it is a tough ask to come here and play the world champions. We will gain a lot of confidence from this result.”
Australia, however, are counting the cost of their epic win after wing Pietsch and Slipper were ruled out of the second test in Cape Town on Aug 23.
Pietsch broke his jaw in the first half and Slipper failed a concussion test after the match. The Wallabies are also sweating on the fitness of Wilson, who pulled up lame after scoring the second of his two tries.
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus called the performance “really awful”, blaming poor game management after a brilliant opening quarter.
“When you are 22-0 up, you tend to take chances, but you still need to build an innings or you can end up losing by nearly 20 points like tonight.
“There were so many breaks when Grant Williams, Manie Libbok or Edwill van der Merwe almost got away, but sometimes you have to realise that you are not quite going to get it.
“Their kick-to-ruck ratio was much better than ours – we only kicked nine times in the second half. It’s definitely not wrong to say we overplayed.
“But they did not just tactically outsmart us, but physically too. The longer the game went on, the stronger the Wallabies were.
“It was a bad loss and at some stage our heads and shoulders were down. It was sad that there was no fightback so we gave them a bonus point and did not get one ourselves.”
Erasmus, who has already announced his side for the next match to the players, says there may be a rethink. AFP, REUTERS
