The Qantas Wallabies opened their Castrol Edge Tri Nations campaign in style crossing for five tries to two and running out 39-20 winners over an inury-hit the Springboks side at ANZ Stadium this evening in front of a vocal crowd of 52,788.

Australia led from start to finish thanks to two first half tries by Ben Alexander and Digby Ioane, the Springboks stayed in touch going into the half time break with two penalty goals to Morne Steyn but still trailed the Qantas Wallabies 15-6.

It was the Qantas Wallabies who opened the scoring in the second half second half when Quade Cooper cut a hole through the Springboks defence and offloaded to James O’Connor who crossed in the corner then converted from out wide.

Qantas Wallabies Stephen Moore was next to cross just five minutes later and after putting the ball down next to the posts O’Connor had no issues slotting another conversion to stretch the Qantas Wallabies lead to 23 points.

In the 52nd minute the Qantas Wallabies went further ahead when O’Connor slotted a penalty goal, which was followed three minutes later by an Adam Ashley-Cooper try and another O’Connor conversion.

The Springboks hit back twice before the final siren with Chiliboy Ralepelle crossing in the 59th minute and John Smit in the 76th minute, Pat Lambie converted both tries to bring the deficit back to 19 points.

The Springboks pushed hard in the final few minutes but couldn’t make their hard work count and when the final siren went it was the Qantas Wallabies celebrating the retention of the Mandela Plate and their first win of the Castrol Edge Tri Nations 39-20.

Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said: “The set piece was good, the scrumaging was good and importantly we got our shoulders down and we can start building some momentum, which these guys will be happy with.

“We were confident but you never presume, the boys adjusted their positions and we played some Rugby this week. The boys who played last week were better for it and the guys who didn’t probably got a shot over the bow.

“It was a step forward, but there’s going to have be another one, we have a bit of time off now to refocus and work on some things before Eden Park where it will go up another notch.”

Australia captain Rocky Elsom added:  “I think we can be reasonably happy with what we came up with this evening.

“We can be reasonably happy with the way we entered the contest today, we were sharp at times but we were sloppy at times so we’ve got a few things we need to work on but we can be reasonably happy.”

Qantas Wallabies 39: Tries to Ben Alexander, Digby Ioane, James O’Connor, Stephen Moore, Adam Ashley-Cooper. Conversions: James O’Connor (4/5). Pen Goal: James O’Connor (2/2)

South Africa 20: Tries to Chiliboy Ralepelle and John Smit. Conversions: Pat Lambie (2/2). Pen Goal: Morne Steyn (2/2).

Minute by Minute:

First Half

1st: Penalty to Australia – kick to touch

2nd: Australia knocks on, scrum to South Africa

4th: Australia knocks on, scrum to South Africa

6th: South Africa knocks on, scrum to Australia

7th: Penalty to South Africa, quick tap

8th: Try to Australia – Ben Alexander

10th: Conversion to Australia – James O’Connor

11th: Try to Australia – Digby Ioane

12th: Conversion by Australia, unsuccessful

14th: Australia knocks on, scrum to South Africa

16th: Penalty to Australia, kick to touch

17th: Australia knocks on, scrum to South Africa

19th: Penalty to South Africa, kick to touch

21st: South Africa knock on, scrum to Australia

25th: Penalty to Australia, kick to touch

26th: Scrum to Australia

27th: Penalty to South Africa, quick tap

29th: Penalty to South Africa, shot at goal

30th: Penalty Goal to South Africa, Morne Steyn

34th: Penalty to Australia, kick to touch

35th: Forward pass by Australia, scrum to South Africa

35th: Penalty to Australia, kick at goal

37th: Penalty Goal to Australia, James O’Connor

39th: Australia knocks on, scrum to South Africa

40th: Penalty to South Africa, kick to touch

41st: Penalty to South Africa, kick at goal

41st: Penalty Goal to South Africa, Morne Steyn

Half Time: Qantas Wallabies 15 – Springboks 6.

Second Half

41st: South Africa knocks on, scrum to Australia

43rd: Try to Australia, James O’Connor

45th: Conversion by Australia, James O’Connor

46th: Penalty to Australia, kick to touch

47th: Penalty to Australia, kick to touch

48th: Try to Australia, Stephen Moore

48th: Conversion to Australia, James O’Connor

49th: Australia knock on, scrum to South Africa

51st: Penalty to Australia, kick at goal

52nd: Penalty Goal to Australia, James O’Connor

52nd: Springboks Ashley Johnson replaced by Jean Deysel

52nd: Springboks knock on, Australia Scrum

55th: Try to Australia, Adam Ashley-Cooper

56th: Qantas Wallabies, James Horwill replaced by Nathan Sharpe

56th: Springboks, Morne Steyn replaced by Pat Lambie

56th: Qantas Wallabies, Rocky Elsom replaced by Scott Higginbotham

56th: Springboks, Werner Kruger replaced by CJ van der Linde

57th: Conversion by Australia, James O’Connor

59th: Try to South Africa, Chiliboy Ralepelle

60th: Conversion by South Africa, Pat Lambie

60th: Qantas Wallabies, Stephen Moore replaced by Saia Faingaa

62nd: Penalty to South Africa, kick to touch

64th: Qantas Wallabies, Adam Ashley-Cooper replaced by Anthony Faingaa

65th: Qantas Wallabies, Will Genia replaced by Nick Phipps

65th: Qantas Wallabies, David Pocock replaced by Matt Hodgson

66th: Penalty to South Africa, kick to touch

67th: Springboks, Wynand Olivier replaced by Adrian Jacobs

69th: Australia knock on, scrum to South Africa

70th: Australia knock on, scrum to South Africa

71st: South Africa knock on, scrum to Australia

71st: Qantas Wallabies, Kurtley Beale replaced by Pek Cowan

73rd: Penalty to South Africa, kick to touch

75th: Penalty to South Africa, kick to touch

76th: Try to South Africa, John Smit

77th: Conversion by South Africa, Pat Lambie

79th: Australia knock on, scrum to South Africa

80th: Penalty to South Africa, quick tap

80th: Final Score Qantas Wallabies 39 – Springboks 20

Crowd: 52,788

Half Time: Qantas Wallabies 15 – Springboks 6.