South Africa 29-17 Australia:Morne Steyn kicked South Africa to a third victory out of three in the Tri-Nations as they claimed a hard-fought 29-17 triumph over Australia in Cape Town on Saturday afternoon.
The 25-year-old's 24 points proved the difference between the sides even though the Springboks were outscored by two tries to one.
Adam Ashley-Cooper and Matt Giteau went over for the Wallabies either side of a score from Victor Matfield, but it was not enough to prevent them from slipping to a second straight defeat.
Morne Steyn nailed all seven of his penalties and added a drop goal as Peter de Villiers' men took a stranglehold on the Tri-Nations table.
It was Australia, though, who got off to a flying start as Ashley-Cooper went over in the second minute.
After a good line-out win the Wallabies spread the ball swiftly from right to left where Ashley-Cooper handed off JP Pietersen and barged through Francois Steyn's attempted tackle to score.
Giteau squeezed home the conversion to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.
But Morne Steyn, who scored 31 points against New Zealand last weekend, showed his radar was bang on target again as Australia were made to pay for conceding too many penalties within range of the posts.
Three kicks in the space of six minutes put the Springboks in front and he added a fourth after a left-footed drop goal from Berrick Barnes had restored Australia's lead.
The unerringly accurate right boot of Morne Steyn sent over a drop goal to round off a concerted period of South African possession and the home side moved further ahead in the 28th minute.
Lachlan Turner failed to deal with John Smit's excellent low kick, the ball squirming out of his grasp as he slid in to claim it on his line, and Matfield was on hand to pick it up and dive over.
Morne Steyn proved he was fallible by missing the conversion, but it did not take long for the Wallabies to shoot themselves in the foot again.
Giteau was sinbinned in the 34th minute for crashing into Fourie Du Preez and Richard Brown followed two minutes later for stealing the ball from the base of the Springbok ruck as Australia were left to finish the first half with 13 men.
But the Boks had just another Morne Steyn penalty to show for that numerical advantage - which gave them a 23-10 half-time lead - as some brilliant defending kept Australia in the contest.
Morne Steyn added another penalty after the break but South Africa could not take advantage of a five-metre scrum to move all but out of sight as the Wallabies stood firm.
And Giteau gave the visitors a lifeline in the 66th minute as he bulldozed through to score and added the conversion to make it 26-17.
But George Smith received Australia's third yellow card with less than two minutes remaining to leave Morne Steyn to seal the game for South Africa with another penalty.
