Australia ended South Africa's unbeaten run in this year's Tri-Nations series after recording a commanding 21-6 victory at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday

South Africa are still within striking distance of this year's title and their destiny is still very much in their own hands, with a Test against the All Blacks still to come, while the Wallabies have re-claimed some pride with their first win in this year's tournament.

The Wallabies beat the Springboks at everything on a warm Brisbane night. Whacked and vilified, they came back with a powerful win, the final score flattering the Springboks. The Wallabies won the possession, won the scrums, won the kicking game, won the tackle, won the ideas and ineluctably won the match. The Springboks looked a team devoid of cohesion and ideas and gradually they faded out of a game, saved only by the defensive brilliance of individuals.

They had an historic victory within their grasp but it became an increasingly tenuous grasp as the match went on. In the second half the Springboks failed to score even a single point. In truth they did not look like scoring a point. They had had promising moments in the first half but as the match moved on they were well and truly whacked.

The Wallabies scored the only two tries of the match but they came within an ace of scoring three more. Only great tackles by Bryan Habana on Lachie Turner, Jaque Fourie on Matt Giteau and Fourie du Preez on Will Genia saved the Springboks from a real lathering on the scoreboard, as had happened on the field.

It was an exciting match of much movement. Even the tryless first half was filled with creative activity. It was the better half for the Springboks with excellent breaks in midfield which would have produced tries last week but not this week as the eager Wallabies swarmed in defence.

They swarmed in on the tackle, too, right from the start, getting in behind the tackle, united and driving the Springboks off.

Most interesting was their kicking game. They kicked the way the Springboks did in their first three Tri-Nations matches - high and accessible and driving over opponents. Right from Will Genia's first kick the Wallabies got it right. They were happy to use the boot to keep the Springboks a long way from their line.

Inside the first five minutes there was a great break by Jean de Villiers which Fourie carried on, cutting himself off from Habana by turning infield, but the defence held and instead the Wallabies broke out from within their own 22 and were attacking in their turn till Bakkies Botha was penalised and Matt Giteau goaled. 3-0 after 5 minutes.

The Springboks ran but the Wallabies won a turnover off Ruan Pienaar and Odwa Ndungane was back to dot down a Giteau grubber. Giteau used the grubber to great effect throughout the match, especially towards the end to leave the Springboks stranded and planless.

The Wallabies came close to scoring when they admirable Will Genia darted on the blindside and gave to Turner who was over in the corner - over without scoring because the TMO advised that he had lost the ball in Habana's excellent tackle. Habana saved again soon afterwards when Giteau sliced through from a line-out and the wing cut him down.

The Springboks did get a chance to attack but Heinrich Brussow knocked on. So often a hero this season the flank had a poor game - this knock-on, kicking away a turnover and conceding three penalties.

His third penalty, for which he was lucky not to be sin-binned, gave Giteau his second goal. 6-0 after 26 minutes.

When John Smit won a Wallaby line-out the Springboks attacked and Morne Steyn kicked a drop. 6-3 after 28 minutes but Giteau then did in like manner with a right-footed drop. 9-3. When Stephen Moore was penalised at a tackle, Steyn goaled, becoming the fastest springbok to a 100 points in Tests - in his case in eight Tests.

The Springboks attacked after this and Brussow was actually over but the referee decided that Du Preez's pass to him was forward.

It took a long time to get a score in the second half but it was going to happen as the Wallaby pressure, possession and territorial gains were relentless.

They came close when the referee was playing advantage for a penalty and Rocky Elsom charged. Bismarck du Plessis was penalised and Genia tapped and darted to the posts but, brilliantly, Du Preez ripped the ball off him as he tried to score. That gave the Wallabies a five-metre scrum and they bashed until Elsom knocked on.

The Wallabies won a turnover off Schalk Burger and Giteau grubbered down the Springbok corner on his right. Adi Jacobs covered got the ball and then, inexplicably, lobbed it inside where Giteau grabbed it. Again the TMO decided that he had just failed to score in Fourie's tackle. But a try was inevitable.

De Villiers knocked on in attempting an intercept and the Wallabies went 8-9-12-13 - George Smith to Genia to Berrick Barnes to Adam Ashley-Cooper and the stocky centre cut clean through between Fourie and De Villiers who did not get close enough to touch him, for a try. Giteau converted. 16-6 after 62 minu,tes.

The Springboks kicked off but that did not help them as the Wallabies came roaring back. Giteau grubbered and Morne Steyn just saved. Giteau kicked a high diagonal but Frans Steyn won the aerial battle with Peter Hynes. The Wallabies countered through Mitchell and Ashley-Cooper was close.

The Springboks were now desperate to get the point that could well mean the Tri-Nations. Du Preez tried to attack but Elsom held him. The ball dropped loose and James O'Connor snatched it up and raced away for a try. There may have been the hint of a knock-on by Elsom but a little luck became the Wallaby effort and superiority.

Man of the Match: It is easy. Matt Giteau. He was everything an outstanding, skilful, clever flyhalf should be and how he must have enjoyed having snappy Will Genia to speed him on his way.

Moment of the match: This is also easy. The try that finally took the game away from the Springboks - Adam Ashley-Cooper's score in the 63rd minute.

The scorers:

For Australia:
Tries: Ashley-Cooper, O'Connor
Con: Giteau
Pens: Giteau 2
Dg: Giteau

For South Africa:
Pen: Steyn
Dg: Steyn

Teams:

Australia: 15 James O'Connor, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Will Genia, 8 George Smith (captain), 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Mark Chisholm, 4 James Horwill, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 Wycliff Palu, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Quade Cooper, 22 Peter Hynes.

South Africa: 15 Ruan Pienaar, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (captain), 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Schalk Burger, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Adi Jacobs, 22 Frans Steyn.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)