The Wallabies will head into next month’s Bledisloe Cup series on a high after extending their unbeaten streak to six after hanging on to beat the Springboks 42-38 on a wild Sunday night in Perth.
Despite being reduced to 11 following four yellow cards in the last 11 minutes, Les Kiss’s side did just enough to hold on against the back-to-back world champions to secure one of the nation’s most famous and extraordinary victories.
After Rassie Erasmus made 13 changes to his starting side and stacked his bench with most of his first-choice regulars following the Greatest Rivalry epic, the Springboks were always going to finish strong.
But no one could ever have conjured up with this script.
Referee Andrea Piardi – a man familiar with controversy in this part of the world following last year’s Lions heartbreaker at the MCG – went to the pocket like never before.
He was also forced to communicate with his TMO on an iPhone in scenes Stan Sport commentator Justin Harrison described as a “circus.”
Four Wallabies, including captain Harry Wilson, were given their marching orders, but the Springboks could only score three tries in their race against the clock.
Ultimately, it was the clock and the Wallabies who won in a match that lived up to the billing and ended a remarkable week of sport in Australia following epics in the AFL final and NRL preliminary final just hours earlier.
The victory continued Kiss’s unbeaten streak as Wallabies coach since taking over from Joe Schmidt, having recorded wins over Japan (two), Argentina (win and draw) and now the Springboks.
Schmidt won his final match in charge against Italy in Perth in late July.
But the Wallabies’ Mount Everest is around the corner, with their annual series against the All Blacks a fortnight away.
It stands as Kiss's biggest test since taking over, with the Wallabies losing 11 straight Tests to their trans-Tasman rivals since 2021.
The Wallabies will meet the All Blacks on 10th October at 7.10pm for their first Bledisloe game.
Source: nine.com.au
