Wallabies moving in the right direction

Rugby:Australia coach Robbie Deans believes the Wallabies will be better prepared for the World Cup after their 14-9 Tri-Nations win over South Africa yesterday. Australia, who will face Ireland in the World Cup, had to contend with a hostile crowd and a very experienced Springbok team.

"In terms of preparation (for the World Cup), there is no doubt tonight was great," Deans said. "We played the most experienced Bok side on their home soil and their incumbent World Cup combination so it was good preparation for us.”.

The Wallabies trailed 6-0 at half-time against a fired-up South Africa but then showed their fighting spirit. They scored the only try through centre Pat McCabe to clinch their fifth win in their last six matches against South Africa.

Australia did well to keep the score down in the first half and Deans said he was pleased by his team's response.

"The resilience they showed (in the second half was impressive). We created opportunities but we didn't finish them and it would have been easy for the group to go into decline. But they stuck at it and they were good at the contact points and I believe we deserve the result," he explained.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers bemoaned his team's inability to finish off their first-half chances.

"We wanted a good start and we got it but we didn't take our chances," De Villiers said after a penalty apiece from Francois Steyn and Butch James had put them on top. "The physical state we were in meant that we couldn't keep up the pace in the second half."

De Villiers said a lack of patience cost his team a win but that he could still draw a few positives out of the defeat.

"Over eagerness was our downfall. We created chances for ourselves but we just didn't take them. Some of the guys hadn't played rugby in seven weeks and there are some positives to take out of the game. In the first half we controlled the game and we looked good when he had the ball," he added.

De Villiers said there were injury concerns over Steyn and utility forward Danie Rossouw but declined to elaborate saying the team doctor would give a full report on Monday.