Coach Dave Rennie has challenged the Wallabies to back up their barnstorming Rugby Championship win over South Africa when they take on the world champions again next week.
The Wallabies have been unable to win successive games this year with Rennie wanting them to continue their dominance over South Africa following their 25-17 victory at Adelaide Oval.
The win stretched the Wallabies’ winning record over South Africa in Australia to eight straight Tests..
Showing character in defence, the Australians kept the Springboks tryless until the final six minutes.
Rennie was particularly pleased with the performance coming off their horror loss to Argentina.
“We had an honest and brutal type of review and we got the response we expected,” Rennie said.
“We’re rapt with the result but we’re well aware of the challenge of next week and backing that up, which we haven’t done this year.
“The Africans are a hell of a side and they’re going to be tougher next week so we will have to take our game to another level.
“If we genuinely want people to get behind us we have to front every week.”
Blockbusting winger Marika Koroibete was named man of the match for his efforts in attack and defence.
With the Wallabies a man down when Tom Wright was yellow-carded after repeat team infringements, the Springboks were hunting their first try late in the first half.
Makazole Mapimpi looked a certainty until Koroibete raced 40 metres and cannon-balled into the South African winger, sending him flying over the sideline.
James Slipper, standing in for absent skipper Michael Hooper, said the tackle, coming with their defence under the pump, was “massive”.
“One thing I know about Marika is that he’s going to put his body on the line for his teammates and for his country and for the jersey,” Slipper said.
“He’s a player we all enjoy having in the squad – he picks us up.”
Discipline was still an issue for the Wallabies with a 14-9 penalty count and two yellow cards and they missed a bonus point with flanker Kwagga Smith scoring twice but there was still plenty to like.
Fraser McReight scored in the opening minute and added another in the second half while the flanker also made a crucial breakdown turnover when the Springboks looked destined to score.
Youngster Noah Lolesio had his best game in gold and set up McReight’s second try to stake a claim to be Australia’s permanent five-eighth.
Trailing 10-3 at halftime the visitors were also forced to play the opening 10 minutes of the second half without Faf de Klerk.
The halfback was yellow-carded after clipping the head of his opposite Nic White, with the Australian diving to the ground to milk the penalty.
Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber lamented his team’s inability to take their chances but also said the Wallabies showed “desperation”.
“I thought Marika’s tackle showed the desperation of not just him but there was a couple of desperation tackles on their tryline,” Nienaber said.
“A lot of credit has to go to Wallabies, they really put their bodies on the line.”
