Boks batter wayward Wallabies

South Africa sealed a third straight Tri-Nations win with a commanding 29-17 victory over Australia in Cape Town on Saturday.

The Springboks remained dominant throughout much of the game, fly-half Morne Steyn striking 24 points and lock Victor Matfield crossing for a first half try.

Tries either side of half time did little to help Australia, who conceded too many penalties early in the game and left themselves with far too much to do in the second half.

In addition the Wallaby forwards were comprehensively outplayed at the lineout, losing nine from nineteen on their own throw and failing to steal one from their South African counterparts.

In a first half that saw the lead change hands four times it was the Boks who went into the break with a 13-point lead thanks to the pinpoint accuracy of Steyn and Matfield's try.

Ill-discipline proved costly for the Wallabies, Steyn punishing them with a series of penalties before they were forced into a desperate rearguard action at the end of the first half when yellow cards for Mat Giteau and Richard Brown reduced them to 13 men.

Mistakes

Australia began brightly though, opening their account with just two minutes on the clock when fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper crossed in the left corner after the ball was moved quickly out wide from a lineout on the right.

Giteau added the extras with an excellent touchline conversion to give the visitors an early 7-0 lead.

Morne Steyn pulled three back five minutes later with an easy penalty after Stirling Mortock was caught offside almost in front of his posts.

And when Australia were penalised for obstruction on the 10-minute mark, Steyn was on target again to nail a fine 44-metre effort and take the Springboks to within a point.

The fly-half continued to capitalise on Aussie mistakes, nudging his side into a 9-7 lead with another penalty after 13 minutes.

This time however Australia's reply came swiftly, Berrick Barnes immediately slotting a drop goal from a tap-and-go penalty on the half way line to return the lead to the Wallabies at 10-9.

The advantage swung back South Africa's way at the end of the first quarter, Steyn with a straightforward effort after Australia were penalised again at the breakdown.

Sparkling

And the Springbok fly-half continued in his sparkling form to open a five-point gap with an exquisite drop goal on 24 minutes.

Three minutes later full back Francois Steyn sent a difficult long range penalty attempt wide from inside his own half but within moments Matfield had claimed a try for the Boks.

An expert chip from John Smit sent Brian Habana on the chase but when Wallaby winger Lachie Turner fumbled two metres out from his line it was Victor Matfield who collected to crash over.

Morne Steyn missed the conversion to leave the scores at 20-10 in the hosts favour.

Six minutes from half time things took a turn for the worse for the Aussies when Giteau was sin-binned for taking out Fourie du Preez as he waited underneath a high kick.

And within 60 seconds the visitors found themselves down to 13 men, Brown joining Giteau on the sidelines after picking up a yellow card of his own.

Despite the two-man advantage the Boks opted to take the points from the resulting penalty, Morne Steyn taking the score to 23-10.

Advantage

Australia weathered the storm as the Springboks sought to capitalise on their superior numbers, some superb defensive tacking denying number eight Pierre Spies just short of the line to close out the half.

Again the Aussies held out in the opening exchanges of the second period as the hosts sought to push home their advantage.

Once back to full strength though, the Wallabies were kept firmly on the back foot and on 55 minutes the surefooted Morne Steyn added three more to take the score to 26-10 and leave their guests with a mountain to climb.

Never a side to shirk a challenge though, Australia began at last to put together some useful passages of play and it took until the 66th minute before it bore fruit.

Latching onto a recycled ball from the ruck close to the Springbok line, Giteau spotted a gap and jinked through to touch down at full stretch next to the left hand post.

The fly-half converted his own try to take the scores to 26-17 and give his side a faint glimmer of hope going into the final quarter.

But the South Africans proved too solid for their opponents, who could not find a way through the Springbok lines.

Steyn took his tally to 24 points for the game, slotting another penalty in the 79th minute to seal a third consecutive Tri-Nations victory for the 'Boks.