Rugby: Wallabies waltz to record win over Boks

Australia ran in three tries in the last 12 minutes to chalk up a record 44-23 victory over South Africa in the inaugural Nelson Mandela Rugby Challenge at the Colonial Stadium in Melbourne.

The world champion Wallabies, trailing 17-23 at half-time, scored 27 unanswered points in the second half to post their highest score in 46 internationals against the Springboks. It eclipsed the previous highest against South Africa of 32-20 in Brisbane in 1997 and 32-6 in Brisbane last year. Winger Stirling Mortlock's 29 points from two tries, two conversions and five penalty goals bettered the previous best of 27 held by Rob Andrew and Jonny Wilkinson for the most individual points against the Springboks. It was Australia's 10th consecutive international win since they lost 10-9 to South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town on August 14 last year. The Mandela Challenge was a pleasing expansive prelude to this year's Tri-Nations series, which kicks off with Australia taking on the revamped New Zealand All Blacks in Sydney next Saturday.

The Springboks looked to have recaptured their best form after their dismal 27-22 loss to England in Bloemfontein a fortnight ago to outplay the Australians in the first half with ferocious defence and seizing their chances to score three tries, two of them to nimble winger Breyton Paulse. Werner Swanepoel, who was preferred to former captain Joost van der Westhuizen from the kick-off, scored from a Rassie Erasmus pass in the 12th minute and Paulse was gifted a 70-metre intercept try off a wayward Rod Kafer pass for a 15-6 lead after 23 minutes. Paulse scored again in the 35th minute when Mortlock was caught inside his quarter and the ball ran loose for a 20-12 lead but Mortlock put the Wallabies three points behind with a try out wide after an initial break by Larkham. Fly-half Louis Koen kicked a penalty on the siren for South Africa to lead by six points at the interval. But the Wallabies regrouped at half-time and controlled possession in the second half to gradually wind the Springboks in. They hit the front for the first time in the match in the 68th minute when fly-half Stephen Larkham ghosted past replacement prop, flat-footed Ollie Le Roux, to score near the posts and trigger a avalanche of points against the tiring Bok defence.

Replacement backrower Toutai Kefu plunged over off a George Gregan pass minutes later, replacement centre Jason Little surged over after a break by midfield partner Daniel Herbert in the 77th minute and Mortlock scored his second try right on fulltime outjumping Chester Williams to a high kick from Larkham in the corner. The match was the world's first rugby union international played under a closed roof.