When there are no more, there are still some. Even though the international window officially closed a week ago with France’s victory over Japan, there were still tests to be played this Saturday. And not least since England received the South African world champions while Wales hosted Australia.
Solide Springboks
South Africa ended their tour of the northern hemisphere on a high note by winning 27-13 at Twickenham. The Springboks scored two tries by Kurt-Lee Arendse (33rd) and Eben Etzebeth (50th), and the English only one by Henry Slade (72nd). However, the results remain mixed for the world champions who leave, after two inaugural defeats in Ireland (19-16) and France (30-26), with two victories, in Italy (63-21) and therefore in England.
The fifteen of the Rose, for its part, once again disappointed on Saturday. Australia coach Eddie Jones’ side have won just one of their last six home matches. His fall record is two defeats, against Argentina (30-29) and South Africa, an easy victory against Japan (52-13) and a draw in the last ten minutes against New Zealand ( 25-25) last Saturday at Twickenham.
The excellent South African winger Kurt-Lee Arendse scored the first try of the game in the 33rd minute: opener Damian Willemse received a candle from Marcus Smith, served back Willy Le Roux who came to lend him a hand, which sent Arendse on trial. Scrum-half Faf de Klerk missed the conversion and Jacques Nienaber’s side reached the break with a well-deserved advantage of eleven points (14-3). The Springboks took off a little more in the 50th minute with a strong try from the second line and former Toulon player Eben Etzebeth under the posts, after a percussion from center Damien De Allende. An essay transformed by De Klerk.
The Boks were then reduced to fourteen after the very logical exclusion of pillar Thomas Du Toit, guilty of a charge on hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie (61st). The English took the opportunity to regain color and score their only try by opener Henry Slade, transformed by Owen Farrell (72nd), not always very inspired on his kicks, in particular an unusual failure at 22 meters in front of the posts.
Stunning Wallabies
Australia signed a stunning victory over Wales, 34-39, after being led 34-13 on Saturday in Cardiff, in a spectacular match punctuated by nine tries (5-4 for the Wallabies). The Australians end their stay in Europe on a high note as they remained on three defeats against France (30-29), Italy (the first in history) and Ireland last week.
On the Welsh side, this failure increases the pressure on coach Wayne Pivac whose men have won only three of their twelve matches in 2022 and had just suffered an embarrassing setback against Georgia last weekend.
Wales took the lead at the break (20-13) thanks to two tries from third row Jac Morgan and flanker Taulupe Faletau, for his hundredth cap, against one for Australia (Folau Fainga’a). The situation became critical for the Wallabies when they returned from the locker room after two new tries from Morgan again then from winger Rio Dyer (34-13, 52nd).
It was the young winger Mark Nawaqanitawase who sounded the Australian revolt by flattening twice in ten minutes (58th, 68th). Two yellow cards given to Tipuric (67) – for tripping an Australian who was spinning alone after an interception – then to Ryan Elias (74) precipitated the collapse of the Welsh. The Australians took advantage of their numerical advantage to register two new attempts, one of penalty after a movement of the pack and the last two minutes of the end by the hooker Lachlan Lonergan, to snatch the victory.
This allows Australia to move up two places in the world rankings and end the year 2022 in sixth place. The Springboks are fourth at a respectable distance from Ireland (1st) and France (2nd).