PERTH, Sept 8 (Reuters) – Australia got their Rugby
Championship campaign back on track with a scrappy 26-19 victory
over South Africa on Saturday, coming back from a first half
deficit to register a fifth successive win over the Springboks.
Back-to-back losses to the All Blacks in their first two
matches of the inaugural competition had made this a must win
test for the Wallabies and their coach Robbie Deans.
After a poor first half where they fell behind to Springbok
winger Bryan Habana’s 42nd test try, scores from forwards Scott
Higginbotham and Ben Alexander and a perfect kicking display
from Berrick Barnes just about got them across the line.
South Africa, who drew 16-16 with Argentina in their last
outing, had the edge at the setpiece and put in plenty of
powerful running but lacked a spark in the backline to take
advantage of the pressure they created.
(Writing by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Martyn Herman)
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