‘Circus’ as 11-man Wallabies cling on for absurd upset win
Updated . First published at
What did we just witness?
The Wallabies will head into next month’s Bledisloe Cup series on a high after extending their unbeaten streak to six after hanging on to beat the Springboks 42-38 on a wild Sunday night in Perth.
Harry Wilson of the Wallabies celebrates with the Mandela Plate. Getty Images
Despite being reduced to 11 following four yellow cards in the last 11 minutes, Les Kiss’s side did just enough to hold on against the back-to-back world champions to secure one of the nation’s most famous and extraordinary victories.
After Rassie Erasmus made 13 changes to his starting side and stacked his bench with most of his first-choice regulars following the Greatest Rivalry epic, the Springboks were always going to finish strong.
But no one could ever have conjured up with this script.
Referee Andrea Piardi – a man familiar with controversy in this part of the world following last year’s Lions heartbreaker at the MCG – went to the pocket like never before.
He was also forced to communicate with his TMO on an iPhone in scenes Stan Sport commentator Justin Harrison described as a “circus.”
Four Wallabies, including captain Harry Wilson, were given their marching orders, but the Springboks could only score three tries in their race against the clock.
Ultimately, it was the clock and the Wallabies who won in a match that lived up to the billing and ended a remarkable week of sport in Australia following epics in the AFL final and NRL preliminary final just hours earlier.
The victory continued Kiss’s unbeaten streak as Wallabies coach since taking over from Joe Schmidt, having recorded wins over Japan (two), Argentina (win and draw) and now the Springboks.
Schmidt won his final match in charge against Italy in Perth in late July.
But the Wallabies’ Mount Everest is around the corner, with their annual series against the All Blacks a fortnight away.
It stands as Kiss's biggest test since taking over, with the Wallabies losing 11 straight Tests to their trans-Tasman rivals since 2021.
Max Jorgensen runs away to score the Wallabies’ fifth try. Getty Images
Both sides scored five tries, but Ryan Lonergan’s three penalties ultimately proved the difference in the upset as the Wallabies once again reminded the world that they will be a threat at next year’s World Cup on home soil.
Wilson, who oversaw the Wallabies’ 62-year drought-breaking win over the Springboks at Ellis Park last year, once again scored a try in the ridiculous Test victory over Erasmus’s side.
“It was a crazy last 10 minutes,” the inspirational No.8 said.
“But that first 70 minutes, the way we played, we implemented our game plan. We did exactly what we wanted. We stepped up in the physical battle, and I’m so proud of the boys.
“It was always a challenge every time you take the field against the Springboks.”
When electric winger Max Jorgensen scored in the 65th minute to help give the Wallabies a 42-17 lead, it looked like the men in gold were cruising to victory.
Even after the Dockers’ heartbreak a day earlier in Melbourne, you would have forgiven the ground announcer to rip out the AFL club’s war cry ‘hells bells’ despite their early – and forgettable – early crow.
Fortunately, they didn’t.
“There’s not even words to describe what happened just then,” Jorgensen said.
“It’s so out of the ordinary. Never seen anything like it.
“But so proud of the boys to put in that extra effort at the end, that serious care and fight that we always talk about down. We stuck in there and got the win.”
The victory, which came despite losing Josh Canham on match eve and playmaker Carter Gordon earlier in the month, was the Wallabies’ fifth over the Springboks from their last 10 matches and second from their past three clashes.
Despite going into the clash without several regulars, Erasmus and double World Cup-winner turned assistant coach Duane Vermeulen insisted the Springboks weren’t disrespecting the Wallabies and said they were “rolling the dice” with the selection to ensure they’re well-prepared for next year’s tournament.
Acting captain Andre Esterhuizen said the Springboks were their own worst enemies.
“I think it was a pretty intense game and quite quick for a Test match,” he said.
Eben Etzebeth reacts during the Springboks’ defeat to the Wallabies. Getty Images
“But they capitalised on all our errors and I think discipline let us down, especially in that first half.
“We let them in too many times and that really hurt us.”
In a helter-skelter first-half, the Wallabies and Springboks traded early blows.
Both Lonergan and fit-again Springboks playmaker Handre Pollard nailed early penalties, before hooker Johan Grobbelaar seized the ascendancy for the visitors.
But two tries in three minutes for Len Ikitau saw the Wallabies go ahead, before winger Edwill van der Merwe finished off a fine try for the Springboks after Pollard put Canan Moodie in space.
A controversial penalty to the Wallabies for a high shot on Ben Donaldson allowed the home side to push for one late opportunity.
And they took it, with Donaldson scoring out wide after a patient build up.
While the Springboks were expected to put the hammer down early in the second half with their much-vaunted bench, it was the Wallabies who ticked the scoreboard over through Lonergan.
Then came Wilson’s try, before Jorgensen looked to put the cherry on top of a fine performance.
Max Jorgensen of the Wallabies celebrates scoring a try. Getty Images
Then came more controversy.
Lots of it, with Piardi and TMO Matteo Liperini in the middle of it as the cards were handed out one after the other.
Wilson was the first to go after the TMO – following another scrum – intervened and urged Piardi to take another look.
Down to 14, the Wallabies were reduced to 13 seconds later when Piardi awarded the Springboks a penalty try after Lonergan stopped a certain try after being offside.
A minute later Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was the next to go, after assistant referee Ben O’Keeffe adjudged the winger to be offside shortly after a massive linebreak from the kick restart.
Two minutes later, the Springboks clawed back another try as halfback Morne van den Berg scored.
Feeling the pinch, the Wallabies looked to ease the tension of a nation when Tom Wright plucked the ball out of the air, 13 months after doing a similar thing in Johannesburg to score.
But the try was overturned when a split second earlier Hunter Paisami hit Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu high.
Down to 11, the Wallabies rallied as best as they could but eventually conceded another when Ox Nche scored the Springboks’ third try in ten minutes to cut the score to four points with time just about up.
With the Wallabies back to 13 after welcoming back Wilson and Lonergan, the home side managed to hold on after a knock-on from the Springboks.
The crazy victory not only continued Australia’s crazy weekend of sport, but it continued the nation’s comeback three years after the 2023 World Cup disaster.
With the Nelson Mandela Plate back in the Wallabies’ hands, attention turns to securing the Bledisloe Cup.
If they do that, the Wallabies will be officially back.
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