Wallabies Back on Track | Thebigtip

Australia put a difficult week behind them by producing an impressive performance to beat world champions South Africa in Sydney. At the same ground where the Aussies were humbled by Samoa a week before, the Wallabies took advantage of an under-strength Springboks side, winning comfortably 39-20 and getting their Tri-Nations campaign under way with a win. 

It will have been particularly pleasing to head coach Robbie Deans after coming under such criticism for the dropping of Matt Giteau, as well as the disappointment of the defeat to Samoa. Deans was delighted to see his side get their Betfair Rugby World Cup preparations back on track following their surprise loss to the Pacific Islanders.

"I was confident we would be better (than last week) but you never presume. But the boys got the job done well," he said.

"They adjusted their mentality, their body position and we played some rugby this week.

Returning duo Quade Cooper and James O'Connor were the real stars of the show for the Wallabies. Fly-half Cooper was instrumental in three of his side's five tries, despite playing with a stomach bug, while O'Connor finished the match with a nice tally of 19 points.

The duo will be integral to Australia's hopes of getting their hands on the Webb Ellis trophy this autumn in New Zealand and those following the rugby betting should remember this.

Although the Australians will go away with a satisfied smile on their faces following the match, South Africa will be forced to go away and lick their wounds. The Springboks decided to leave 20 frontline players at home in order to fully recover from various injuries and fatigue in time for the World Cup. 

While that may be the safe thing to do with only a matter of weeks until the tournament, a series of heavy defeats over the next couple of weeks will hardly send the team into the World Cup in the right sort of form. For the Aussies though, this result will go some way to convincing their fans that this could well be their year again after a number of disappointing recent World Cup performances.