South Africa complete double over Australia with 30-12 win

Australia 12-30 South Africa, Perth

Malcolm Marx scored a double as South Africa completed a double over Australia in the second round of the Rugby Championship in Perth on Saturday.

South Africa came into the game with Rassie Erasmus making 10 changes to the starting line up but they still managed to register their second win of the tournament as they moved to the top of the table.

All of Australia's 12 points came through Noah Lolesio, who kicked all four penalties with the first of it coming in the 3rd minute when he kicked a three-pointer from 30m distance after a break down infringement from the Boks.

South Africa came close to scoring the opening try but a pass from Cheslin Kolbe was spilled by Sacha Mngomezulu but the fly half made amends with a penalty goal in the 16th minute when Angus Bell conceded a breakdown infringement making it 3-3.

The Boks soon seized the lead as Makazole Mapimpi sent a perfectly weighed kick for Aphelele Fassi to touchdown but Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed out on the conversion as the score remained at 3-8.

The gap came down to two points by the 21st minute when Lolesio kicked a 37m breakdown penalty but his effort was negated when Feinberg-Mngomezulu landed a three-pointer of his own five minutes later making it 6-11.

Lolesio with his third penalty reduced Australia's deficit to two points and he also had a chance to put the hosts into the lead but he missed a kick from a 25m distance at the stroke of half time as the teams completed the opening half with a 9-11 scoreline.

The Boks got off the block early in the second half as Marco van Staden touched down at the back of a rumbling maul and Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked the conversion to make it 9-18 before Lolesio kicked one to the left of the posts from a 40m distance to make it 12-18.

Wallabies also had their injury concerns with Hunter Paisami leaving the field with a leg injury while James Slipper left the field for a Head Injury Assessment. The Boks stretched their lead in the 65th minute as Marx scored unopposed and Handre Pollard followed with the extras to make it 12-23.

Australia were down to 14 players temporarily when Seru Uru was sin-binned in the 72nd minute for bringing down a maul illegally as Marx completed his second try shortly to complete a 18 point victory as they moved to the top of the table with two wins from as many games.

Team line up:

Australia XV: 1. Angus Bell, 2. Josh Nasser, 3. Allan Alaalatoa (c), 4. Angus Blyth, 5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 6. Rob Valetini, 7. Carlo Tizzano, 8. Harry Wilson, 9. Nic White, 10. Noah Lolesio, 11. Marika Koroibete, 12. Hunter Paisami, 13. Len Ikitau, 14. Andrew Kellaway, 15. Tom Wright.

Reserves: 16. Billy Pollard, 17. James Slipper, 18. Zane Nonggorr, 19. Tom Hooper, 20. Seru Uru, 21. Tate McDermott, 22. Ben Donaldson, 23 Max Jorgensen

South Africa XV: 15. Aphelele Fassi, 14. Cheslin Kolbe, 13. Jesse Kriel, 12. Lukhanyo Am, 11. Makazole Mapimpi, 10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9. Morne van den Berg, 8. Elrigh Louw, 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6. Marco van Staden, 5. Ruan Nortje, 4. Salmaan Moerat, 3. Thomas du Toit, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 1. Jan-Hendrik Wessels.

Reserves: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Ox Nche, 18. Vincent Koch, 19. Eben Etzebeth, 20. Kwagga Smith, 21. Grant Williams, 22. Manie Libbok, 23. Handre Pollard