09/27/26 07:44:00
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09/27 07:42 CDT 11-man Australia hangs on to upset South Africa 42-38 in
extraordinary rugby test
11-man Australia hangs on to upset South Africa 42-38 in extraordinary rugby
test
PERTH, Australia (AP) --- Australia hung on for an extraordinary upset win over
rugby World Cup champion South Africa 42-38 on Sunday despite being reduced to
11 men against 15 for much of the last 10 minutes.
The Wallabies were leading 42-17 after Max Jorgensen swooped on a Springboks
error and then sprinted 60 meters to score in the 64th. The momentum was all
going the way of Australia but then the Wallabies lost four players to yellow
cards in a dramatic finish as South Africa responded with three late tries.
"It was a crazy last 10 minutes," Australia captain Harry Wilson, the first of
the four players shown a yellow card, said in a post-match television
interview. "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."
Outside center Len Ikitau scored two tries in three minutes to help Australia
take a 24-17 halftime lead in the Springboks' first test since beating the All
Blacks in the so-called Greatest Rivalry series earlier this month.
The top-ranked Springboks made 13 changes to the starting lineup from their
43-28 win over the New Zealand All Blacks at Baltimore two weeks ago, with only
lock Eben Etzebeth and winger Ethan Hooker retaining their starting roles from
the team that clinched the series 3-1.
Despite the overhaul, the South Africans jumped to a 10-3 lead after 10 minutes
in Perth, which will host the opening game of the Rugby World Cup next year,
before the Australians rallied on a pair of quick tries from Ikitau --- until
the dramatic finish.
No. 8 Wilson was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle in the 69th minute, and
he was quickly followed by scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan, who was yellow carded for a
professional foul, winger Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i and center Hunter Paisami,
who was sent off on video review after Tom Wright appeared to score an
against-the-run-of-play intercept try that was subsequently overturned. That
left Australia with 11 players trying to defend an 11-point lead with four
minutes remaining.
The margin was reduced to four points in the last minute, before the Springboks
ran out of time.
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See AP's full rugby coverage here
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