The Springboks overwhelmed the Wallabies with the sheer intensity of their pack and recorded a 29-17 victory at Newlands on Saturday.

Match-winner Morne Steyn was again on target, scoring 24 of his side's points with the boot.

The Wallabies caught the Springboks unawares with a clever short-ball lineout ruse to give the Wallabies their first try to Adam Ashley-Cooper before two minutes had elapsed, giving them a 7-0 lead with Matt Giteau’s conversion, but after that there was only one side on the field in spite of the Australians scoring two tries to the Springboks’ one.

The dominance of the Springboks forwards meant John Smit’s men played most of the match in a comfort zone that enabled Morné Steyn to improve his remarkable record with seven more penalties and a dropped goal.

The Boks’ only try was as a result of this unremitting pressure applied by the like of Mtawarira, Du Plessis, Smit, Matfield, Botha, Smith, Spies and action man Brüssow.

The Boks scored when John Smit stabbed through a left-footed grubber which flummoxed right-wing Lachlan Turner and allowed Victor Matfield to pounce on the ball and dive over for the try.

Though Steyn missed the conversion the Boks were 20-10 up and, in truth, the match was over.

The Springboks did not score another try, but the Wallabies did through Matt Giteau weaving his way through a few tackles near the posts, but Steyn added two more penalties.

Their performance confirmed the view that the Springboks are the clear favourites to win the 2009 Tri-Nations.

Scoring:
South Africa - Try: Victor Matfield. Penalties: Morne Steyn (7). Drop Goal: M Steyn.
Australia - Tries: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Giteau. Conversions: Giteau (2). Drop Goal: Berrick Barnes.