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Wallabies and Springboks draw again to hand All Blacks Rugby Championship title

Elton Jantjies missed a late penalty as the two sides couldn’t be separated for the second time this championship.

NEW ZEALAND RETAINED the Rugby Championship after South Africa and Australia drew 27-27 in Bloemfontein Saturday.

The deadlock left the All Blacks with an unassailable six-point lead in the standings ahead of their penultimate match away to Argentina later Saturday.

Elton Jantjies had a last-minute chance to win the match for the Springboks, but pulled a difficult penalty from just outside the 22.

It was the second successive draw between the teams after they finished 23-23 in Perth this month.

South Africans in the 30,000 crowd, including world 400-metre record-holder and Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk, were hoping for a drastic improvement after a 57-0 drubbing at the hands of the All Blacks in Auckland this month.

But a draw was fair reflection of a close encounter in which neither team gained a distinct advantage in any phase.

Australia led 13-10 at half-time and their backs always threatened while the South African scrum functioned well.

Springboks skipper Eben Etzebeth said: “This last two weeks has been tough, the guys bounced back tonight.

“We are not happy with a draw — a win would have been better. But, yeah, it looked like we took on a really good team.”

“I think we must just hold on to the ball, then hopefully score (more) tries.

“We are really looking forward to that one,” he said with a smile when asked about tackling the All Blacks in Cape Town next Saturday.

Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper said: “(You) cannot split us this year, two draws, you know.

“I am sure both teams are extremely frustrated. Great game here in Bloemfontein tonight, right down to the wire. Great for fans.

“I mean, we got down in their half quite a bit and could not get points in the second half — a little bit disappointing.

“It is hard to play here (at altitude), but there are no excuses.”

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South Africa had much more of the ball in the early stages only to fall behind after 11 minutes to an Australian try plotted on the training ground.

A dummy run by Tevita Kuridrani and an inside pass from Bernard Foley created a clear path to the tryline for Israel Folau.

Foley converted from in front of the posts to raise his Test tally to 501 points — only the fourth Wallaby to achieve the feat.

South Africa levelled on 19 minutes when Jantjies converted a try by Ruan Dreyer, who shrugged off a tackle to barge over between the posts.

Foley and Jantjies exchanged penalties before the Wallaby fly-half slotted another to earn his team a three-point half-time advantage.

Tempers flared just before the break when Folau high-tackled Dillyn Leyds, then pulled his hair, triggering a mini-brawl in which Etzebeth was involved.

New Zealand referee Ben O’Keeffe settled for warning the rival captains.

It was a disappointing opening half for the Springboks, who had more ball, but many attacks were lateral and predictable against a well-organised defence.

The second half started with a try fest as Jan Serfontein and Courtnall Skosan scored for the Springboks and Marika Koroibete for the Wallabies.

All the tries were converted by Jantjies and Foley to leave South Africa 24-20 up on 51 minutes.

Rugby League convert Koroibete scored his second try in his first start and Foley added the extra points to nudge the visitors into a three-point lead entering the final quarter.

Jantjies brought the teams level with a penalty 10 minutes from time, but could not grab victory in the final minute, leaving New Zealand to celebrate a fifth title in six attempts.

© – AFP, 2017

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