By IANS,
Wellington : A fierce battle between two of the southern hemisphere’s major rugby powers for a place in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals ended with Australia’s Wallabies just tipping the balance to send South Africa home Sunday. Hosts New Zealand defeated Argentina for a place in the last four.
Australia and South Africa fought for dominance in the first half with the Springboks looking more dangerous at times.
After stealing a lineout from an Australian throw, South Africa moved the ball leftwards along the backline and then back again, with Pat Lambie making a good ground before the move broke down.
A long kick from Australia’s Quade Cooper in the 11th minute found touch, but South Africa won the lineout before a maul developed.
Radike Samo dived in and the ball was knocked loose, allowing Australia’s Pat McCabe to pass it inside to captain James Horwill, who dived over the line. However, James O’Connor missed the conversion.
After Gurthro Steenkamp was penalised at a ruck, O’Connor made up with a penalty on target in the 17th minute and Australia gained an 8-0 lead.
South African kicker Morne Steyn missed a penalty kick in the 27th minute after Australia’s Stephen Moore was caught offside in his own half. South Africa made some good attempts to run with the ball, but failed to break the Australian defence, bringing down wing Bryan Habana hard with some bruising tackles.
Horwill incurred a penalty for having hands in the ruck, allowing Steyn to reduce Australia’s lead to 8-3 at the interval.
South Africa thought they had scored a try in the 46th minute when Pat Lambie ran over the line, but New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence ruled he had taken a forward pass from Jean de Villiers.
Morne Steyn narrowed the gap to two points with a penalty in the 55th minute and the South Africans continued to drive into Australian territory.
However, the Springboks never broke through for a try, and Steyn went for a drop goal in the 60th minute to put South Africa in the lead with the score at 9-8.
South Africa maintained its battering of the Australian defence and Lambie attempted a drop goal from near halfway in the 68th minute, but the ball kept coming back to the Wallabies.
The steady nerves of O’Connor put Australia back in the lead in the 71st minute with a pinpoint penalty after Danie Rossouw hauled Radike Samo over while he was still in the air during a lineout.
Meanwhile, Argentina’s Pumas gave the home team a tough battle in their quarterfinal clash before finally succumbing to the superior strength of the All Blacks to go down 33-10.
France will play Wales in the first semifinal Saturday while neighbours New Zealand and Australia meet each other Sunday.