Rugby Union: South Africans make Australia look second rate: Pienaar's team savour a mighty triumph in Sydney as world champions succumb to committed tourists

FRANCOIS PIENAAR, the South African captain, was careful not to sound too dramatic, but 'it was an emotional victory, make no mistake' conveyed the importance of the surprise defeat of Australia to their cause.

As South Africa savoured one of their mightiest rugby triumphs in traditional style, the world champions, beaten 19-12 on their home turf in Sydney, were left wondering how they were made to look so second rate, with leading players like David Campese particularly inept. Australia must win in Brisbane on 14 August to keep the three-Test series alive.

Pienaar, who had finished the match with blood streaming down his face, said: 'In an important match it's the team that wants to win it the most that wins on the day and today we showed the desire to really win it. I think it's peaking at the right time and we showed that the guys were committed.'

'It's exactly what we wanted today,' said the South Africans' coach, Ian McIntosh. 'We needed that to prove that we can do it and believe in ourselves and believe in a style of play that we can improve on from here.'

Australia's captain, the hooker Phil Kearns, made some interesting observations. He said: 'We seem to play well for 10-20 minutes and then relax. We were nine points up, we were in the position where we should have rammed home the advantage. Instead we relaxed - you cannot afford to do that in an international. South Africa played for 80 minutes and we didn't'

Their coach, Bob Dwyer, said: 'We obviously started well, but in that second quarter our intensity dropped off a bit.'

The South Africans bounced back after three Marty Roebuck penalties had given Australia a 9-0 lead after 18 minutes and fully deserved their victory. It was South Africa's second win in eight Tests since the end of the sporting isolation they had suffered because of apartheid.

It was their eighth victory in 10 Tests in Australia. It was also revenge for the Wallabies' biggest defeat of South Africa, 26-3 in Cape Town last August, which was the two rugby giants' first meeting in 21 years.

The match looked in the control of Australia when South Africa hit back, albeit from a David Campese error. The world record try-scorer fumbled a grubber kick from young Eastern Province back Heinrich Fuls seven minutes from half-time. Pieter Muller scooped up the ball and scored from 10 metres out.

The South Africans then sent their small band of supporters into raptures when No. 8 Tiaan Strauss, Pienaar and Robert Du Preez combined to give the winger James Small the ball 10 metres out.

The Natal flier evaded tackles from Roebuck and Nick Farr-Jones to score in the right corner. Theo Van Rensburg's conversion from the sideline gave the tourists a surprise 14-9 lead at half-time.

The Australians stepped up the tempo after the break, pulling back to 14-12 after 56 minutes with Roebuck's fourth penalty. But the South Africans sealed the match six minutes from time when Fuls pierced their defence with a deft kick to the right corner for Small to score his second try.

A facial gash forced the veteran hooker Uli Schmidt in the final minutes. Earlier South Africa had lost their burly tight-head prop Willie Hills, who had to be replaced after five minutes because of an injured right knee. He gave way to Keith Andrews of Western Province.

Australia: penalties Roebuck 4. South Africa: Tries Small 2, Muller; Conversions Van Rensburg 2.

AUSTRALIA: M Roebuck; D Smith, J Little, T Horan, D Campese; S Bowen, N Farr-Jones; T Daly, P Kearns (capt), E McKenzie, R McCall, W Waugh, G Morgan, D Wilson, T Gavin.

SOUTH AFRICA: T Van Rensburg; J Small, P Muller, H Fuls, J Olivier; J Stransky, R Du Preez; W Hills (K Andrews 5), U Schmidt (J Allan, 88), B Swart, H Strydom, N Wegner, F Pienaar (capt), D Lotter, T Strauss.

Referee: L McLachlan (New Zealand).