South Africa win second Tri-Nations title

9.20am UPDATE

DURBAN - South Africa survived two late yellow cards to win their second Tri-Nations rugby title with a rousing 23-19 triumph over Australia in Durban on Saturday.

Referee Paddy O'Brien sin-binned fullback Percy Montgomery with 11 minutes to go and right wing Breyton Paulse with a minute on the clock.

But the Springboks held on to win their first southern hemisphere championship since 1998, despite the Wallabies surging back to score through flanker George Smith in the 78th minute.

Australia scored three tries to South Africa's two, but the Springboks controlled most of the match with an aggressive display among their forwards.

South Africa spent most of the opening quarter in Australia's half, but the Wallabies kept them out with sound defence and superiority in the scrums.

Both Montgomery and Wallaby second five eighth Matt Giteau missed shots at goal before the deadlock was broken with eight minutes left in the first half when Australian winger Lote Tuqiri scored after fielding Clyde Rathbone's grubber kick up the left touchline.

Montgomery pulled three points back with a penalty on the halftime hooter but missed another attempt two minutes after the break.

The Springboks went ahead 10-7 in the 44th minute after Paulse hoisted a kick into the Australian 22-metre area.

The ball bounced loose, and lock Victor Matfield followed up to score. Montgomery kicked the conversion.

South Africa surged into a 10-point lead in the 52nd minute when number eight Joe van Niekerk scored in the left corner after O'Brien awarded the Springboks a free kick for time wasting by Australia's lineout.

Montgomery converted the ball and then kicked two long-range penalties to make the score 23-7 with 18 minutes left in the match.

But the fullback earned a yellow card for tackling Australia's Chris Latham in the air and the visitors made the most of the advantage when centre Stirling Mortlock scored their second try.

Giteau added the conversion to make it 23-14 with nine minutes left.

Paulse got his marching orders for offside as the Springboks scrambled to hang on to their lead and Smith crashed over in the left corner.

Matt Burke, who replaced Mortlock in the 75th minute, missed a difficult conversion.

Australia mounted a last-gasp attack as the final hooter blared, but a kick up the left side of the pitch screwed into touch and the South African celebrations began.

- REUTERS