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| ** Wallabies rule in Durban *  |
Rocky Elsom of the Wallabies breaks away during the Tri-Nations match between the South African Springboks and the Australian Wallabies at Kings Park Stadium on August 13, 2011 in Durban, South Africa.
( August 12, 2011 - Photos by Phil Walter/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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South Africa slumped to their third consecutive Tri-Nations defeat in 2011, going down 14-9 to Australia at Kings Park in Durban.
The Wallabies scored all their points in the second half as they came back from being 6-0 down at half-time, scoring the only try of the game through centre Pat McCabe.
For many South African fans the 'real' Tri-Nations kicked off in Durban as the defending world champions brought back the bulk of the first-choice players and lined up the most experienced Springbok team in history.
But after a solid start, the hosts' big guns failed to fire in the second half and were outdone by an Australian side that coped better with the changing conditions.
The result means that South Africa can no longer win the Tri-Nations - the 2011 crown will be decided when the All Blacks visit Brisbane at the end of the month.
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Man of the match: The Wallaby pack stepped the intensity up a notch in the second half and hooker Stephen Moore was a tireless grafter all around the park.
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Jaque Fourie of the Springboks is tackeld by Pat McCabe (L) and Will Genia (R) of the Springboks
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WALLABIES coach Robbie Deans praised the resilience of his team after they overturned a 6-0 half-time deficit to defeat the most capped Springbok team of all time 14-9 in a Tri-Nations Test at Kings Park in Durban
With the World Cup less than a month away, Deans said the win was ideal.
"In terms of preparation there's no doubt it's great. We played against the most experienced Bok side tonight on their home soil and (it was) their current World Cup selection, essentially."
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"I was proud of the resilience we showed," he said. "We created opportunities and didn't finish them. It would have been easy for the group to go into decline but they stuck at it, they were good in the contact and I believe we deserved the result."
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The Springboks looked the better team in the first half and led at the break despite playing into a brisk southerly wind. Full-back Francois Steyn landed a long range penalty and fly-half Butch James a more conventional goal.
But the Wallabies made a blistering start to the second half and within eight minutes had snatched the lead through a penalty by wing James O'Connor and a first international try by centre Pat McCabe.
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Next Test:
Aug 20
SA v NZ
Port Elizabeth
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