Australia 42–38 South Africa: A Perth Rugby Thriller That Got Away From the Springboks
What a game of rugby in Perth.
If you wanted a quiet afternoon watching the Springboks, this certainly wasn’t it. Australia and South Africa produced a high-scoring battle, with the Wallabies eventually coming out on top 42–38.
As a South African supporter, losing is never easy to take. Losing after putting 38 points on the board is even harder.But you have to give Australia credit. They found a way to score enough points, absorb the pressure and finish on the right side of a four-point margin.
80 Minutes of Pressure and A scoreline of 42–38 tells its own story.
This wasn’t a match dominated by penalties and cautious rugby. There were points, attacking opportunities and enough drama to keep supporters interested right until the end.
For the Springboks, however, there will be plenty to think about.
Scoring 38 points away from home would normally give you a very good chance of winning a Test match. When the opposition gets to 42, though, the questions naturally turn towards defence, discipline and the moments where South Africa allowed Australia to take advantage.
At this level, small mistakes become expensive very quickly.Australia Deserve Their Moment
Sometimes as supporters we concentrate so much on what our own team did wrong that we forget there was another team on the field.Australia deserve credit for this victory.
They were playing at home, they had their supporters behind them and they had to deal with a South African side that kept fighting. The Wallabies didn’t simply survive the contest — they scored 42 points against the Springboks.That’s a result Australian rugby supporters will enjoy.
A Tough One for the Bok Supporters.For those of us supporting South Africa, this one hurts.
There is something particularly frustrating about getting so close. Four points separated the teams when it was all finished.You can look back at individual moments and wonder, what if?
What if one opportunity had been finished differently? What if one mistake had been avoided?
What if one defensive moment had gone South Africa’s way? That’s rugby.
The scoreboard doesn’t care about the what-ifs.Australia 42. South Africa 38.
That’s the result that goes into the history books.No Need for Panic.One defeat doesn’t suddenly erase what makes South African rugby strong.
The Springboks will analyse this match far more closely than any of us sitting at home ever could. There will be uncomfortable conversations, areas that need improvement and lessons to take from Perth.
That’s part of Test rugby.You celebrate the victories and you learn from the defeats.
And sometimes the opposition is simply good enough on the day to beat you.
Respect to Australia.As disappointed as I am with the result, congratulations to Australia.
A 42–38 Test match between the Wallabies and Springboks is the sort of contest that reminds us why we watch rugby in the first place.
There was pressure.There were points.There was tension.
And there was a result that remained close enough to keep South African supporters hoping.Unfortunately, this time it wasn’t our day.
The Wallabies take the victory in Perth.The Springboks take the lessons.
And those of us in green and gold? We take the disappointment, have a few words about what should have happened — as rugby supporters always do — and get ready for the next one.
Final score: Australia 42–38 South Africa.
Congratulations, Australia.
We’ll see you again.
Once a Bok supporter, always a Bok supporter. 🇿🇦
Author: swoosh0018
"Im Swoosh. Seeking the extraordinary in every corner & Exploring South Africa in Style" Football,Sports,Lifestyle,Food & Travel
