Wallabies captain Harry Wilson hailed his team for snuffing out a late Springbok comeback at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday.
A series of late yellow cards saw the Australians down to just 11 men at one point, where it looked like the Boks could sneak a win at the death.
Les Kiss’ side eventually held on for a nervy 42-38 win to keep him unbeaten in five Tests since taking over as head coach and return the Mandela Challenge Plate to Australia.
Wilson was delighted with the way his team stuck to their plan for the majority of the contest, particularly after facing a physical Bok challenge.
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“I’m so proud of the group, mate. We were excited, we were up for it and gee whiz – what a last 10 minutes,” Wilson said in his post-match TV interview.
“That first 70 minutes, the way we played, we implemented our game plan, knew exactly what we wanted, stepped up to the physical battle and I’m so proud of the boys.”
The Wallabies’ forwards were central to their success, with Wilson pleased by the way they stood up against a Bok pack renowned for its power at set-piece and close quarters.
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But the skipper also singled out his backline for continuing to play with confidence despite some early mistakes.
“We knew as a forward pack we needed to step up and I thought the boys were great,” he said.
“But the backline – I just loved the way they backed themselves. It wasn’t pretty early on, a few errors, but we said we’d keep going and keep backing ourselves and we’ve got some special players in that backline.
“Give them some ball in space and they can do some special things.”
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Wilson was also quick to pay tribute to Kiss and the influence he’s had on the squad.
“Love him, mate. So happy for him, so happy for us as a group and he’s been there for this group,” he said.
The post Wilson ‘proud’ of Wallabies performance appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson hailed his team for snuffing out a late Springbok comeback at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday.
The post Wilson ‘proud’ of Wallabies performance appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
