Australia breathed life into their Rugby Championship campaign with a bonus-point 30-17 win over South Africa in Brisbane to puncture the Springboks’ world champion aura for the second time in a week.
After upsetting South Africa 28-26 on the Gold Coast last Sunday with a Quade Cooper penalty after the siren, the Wallabies’ running game shone in the Lang Park twilight as centre Len Ikitau and winger Marika Koroibete each scored a brace of tries.
Koroibete’s second try put the Australians 13 points up with 12 minutes left and they defended brilliantly to turn over the ball in front of their posts twice to protect the lead to the finish.
South Africa managed only one try, through centre Lukhanyo Am shortly after half-time, but drew two yellow cards in a flat performance before they head into back-to-back Tests against New Zealand.
Len Ikitau crossed for a first-half brace, and Marika Koroibete added a pair of tries in the second half with Quade Cooper backing up his heroics from Sunday with 10-points off his boot.
Both teams were reduced to 14 men at different times during the 80 minutes with Australian flanker Lachlan Swinton fortunate to only receive a yellow card when the referees discussed the option of a red.
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