KEY POINTS:
CAPE TOWN - Replacement wing Frans Steyn dropped two late goals to seal a 22-19 win for South Africa over Australia in the opening Tri-Nations match at Newlands on Sunday (NZ time).
The 20-year-old, who came on to the field in place of Ashwin Willemse in the 60th minute, landed the first from 45 metres on a tight angle with six minutes to go. His second was directly in front of the uprights with two minutes on the clock to play.
"The kicks just happened," Steyn told reporters. "The Lord moves me around like a pawn and I don't know where I'm going to end up next."
The Wallabies have now failed to win in South Africa since 2000.
Both sides scored one try with Wallaby centre Stirling Mortlock scoring 14 points from four penalties and a conversion.
Springbok fullback Percy Montgomery scored 11 points from three penalties and a conversion.
Despite the close scoreline the home team enjoyed the bulk of possession and territory and it was the brilliant defence of the visitors that kept them in the game with Australia making 137 tackles to South Africa's 52.
The Wallabies withstood a tremendous Springbok onslaught in the opening 20 minutes, surviving on committed and organised defence.
They did concede a try when centre Jaque Fourie squeezed into the corner in the 14th minute, but that was all the Springboks had to show for their early superiority.
Australia continued to repel the pressure before mounting a stunning counter-attack which earned 13 points in an eight-minute period.
Mortlock slotted a second penalty in the 28th minute and three minutes later centre Matt Giteau was on hand to complete Australia's best move of the game to score close to the uprights.
In the 36th minute South African number eight Pierre Spies was shown a yellow card for repeated infringements and Mortlock duly added the penalty.
In the second half Montgomery landed two penalties and Mortlock added another before Steyn stepped up to settle the match.
Mortlock praised his team's defensive effort but said they were powerless to stop Steyn's winning kicks.
"He's shown us in the Super 14 he can land field goals from anywhere," he said. "I've never been involved in a more determined and committed defensive effort than we put in today."
- REUTERS
