The Wallabies weathered an early onslaught in which the Springboks ran in 22 unanswered points to run in the next 38 points to upset the hosts in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The win was Australia’s first at Ellis Park since 1963 (an 11-9 win 62 years ago) and left home fans stunned.
Veteran playmaker James O’Connor started in a Test for the first time since 2022 for the full game.
He added composure to the team around the ground and his long pass allowed winger Max Jorgenson to run clear along the sideline to score a try.
Statistics supplied by rugby.com.au shows the Wallabies attack dominated in two areas: beating defenders (26-22) and conceding turnovers (16-12). The Boks dominated in: metres made (580-532), carries made (139-97), clean breaks (14-10), passes (212-135), offloads (14-5).
In defence, the Wallabies tackled more (157-109), missed less tackles (22-26) and won turnovers 6-3.
The Wallabies’ discipline was better; they conceded four penalties to the Boks’ 10.
The Boks edged the Aussies 52-48 in ball possession for the game while the Wallabies won 77% of their lineouts (14 out of 18) while their scrum maintained a 100% success rate.
The Boks won more rucks (97-76) but lost more (5); the Wallabies had a ruck success rate of 98% to the hosts’ 95%.
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WOUNDED WALLABIES
Pietsch subsequently sustained a broken jaw and is on his way home along with Ben Donaldson while veteran prop James Slipper (now on 147 Tests) will miss the second Test this weekend in Cape Town.
Captain Harry Wilson will remain on tour as he recovers from a knee injury picked up during his second try.
Filipo Daugunu, Rhys van Nek and Hamish Stewart are joining the team to provide cover for the unavailable players.
RUN OF PLAY
2nd minute: Springbok winger Kurt-Lee Arendse runs in for a converted try. 7-0.
9th minute: penalty goal by Manie Libbok after hooker Malcolm Marx forced the penalty at the breakdown. 10-0.
13th minute, Springbok Andre Esterhuizen was sent in by centre partner Jesse Kriel who broke the line to offload to his centre partner to run in an unconverted try. 15-0.
18th minute: Boks captain Siya Kolisi dove over next to the goal posts to set up an easy conversion. 22-0.
28th minute: former Leeton Phantom Dylan Pietsch was sent over in the corner for an unconverted try off a pass from Len Ikitau. 22-7.
43rd minute: Wallabies prop Angus Bell helped put Wilson through a gap in the defence for the Wallabies’ second, and converted, try. 22-12.
58th minute: Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii snatched a loose Boks pass out of the air and raced 60 metres to score a converted try. 22-19.
64th minute: Wilson backed up a break from Tom Wright to score his second try and immediately had to be replaced, clutching at a leg. The Wallabies take the lead 26-22.
65th minute, a long pass from O’Connor sent Max Jorgensen away after he escaped a desperate tackle to score a try and silence the home crowd. 31-22.
75th minute, Tom Wright collected a stray pass during a Bok attack deep in Wallabies tryline and ran away for a converted try. 38-32.
WALLABIES HELP ALL BLACKS
The Johannesburg result elevated New Zealand to the world No 1 ranking even before they took to the field against hosts Argentina in Cordoba on the weekend.
The All Blacks scored six tries in their 41-24 win over the Pumas but were made to work for it as the Pumas fought all the way.
The two teams meet again in Buenos Aires this weekend.
