It’s taken 47 years, but the Wallabies finally broke their run of 12 successive losses on South Africa’s Highveld.
Victorious Australian side
As well as breaking the hoodoo of the Highveld, the Wallabies claimed the Mandela Challenge plate which is played between the 2 sides.
The Australians 41-39 victory was only sealed in the last minute with a Kurtley Beale penalty, but it is the mental victory that will hurt the Boks the most.
The Australians have played 18 previous matches on the Highveld, only winning twice. Firstly in 1933 in Bloemfontein, and 1963 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
The Aussies are spooked by the Highveld, usually basing themselves at sea level for their preparations, and more importantly, had not won at altitude since South Africa’s readmission or in the professional era.
The Boks had a mental edge, and only ever have to play at 40% at altitude to beat them. Even Harry Viljoen’s and Rudolf Straeuli’s sides didn’t lose to Australia on the ‘veld’.
That has all changed, and there is no covering up how ordinary the Boks have been this year.
Coach Peter de Villiers deserves to be fired for sub-standard results and if he truly believed in what was best for his side he’d resign.
The Springboks also lost their first test in Bloemfontein since losing 27-22 to England in 2000, losing just their 4th match in the city.
After the match Springbok prop Gurthro Steenkamp said, “I don’t think there will be any mental scars. We must give Australia their dues, they scored some great tries in the first half and cut us to pieces. But there’s no mental effect.”
However this victory was more significant than just the Mandela plate or avoiding the Tri-Nations wooden spoon.
It’s broken a long drought, and the self-belief and confidence it gives future Wallabies will be enormous.
de Villiers has the distinction of some unenviable records. He’s now the first Bok coach to lose at altitude to the Wallabies in the modern era.
