Australia upset South Africa

Australia stunned South Africa 21-6 at Brisbane's Lang Park yesterday to stall the world champions' bid to wrap up the Tri-Nations.

The Australians ended a frustrating run of four straight losses in the series with an unexpected but deserving win over the previously unbeaten Springboks.

Outside centre Adam Ashley-Cooper and teenage full-back James O'Connor both scored late second-half tries to seal the win for the Wallabies, who had three earlier tries disallowed by the match referee.

Flyhalf Matt Giteau chipped in with two penalties, a conversion and a drop goal while South Africa's points all came from the boot of flyhalf Morne Steyn, who landed a drop goal and a penalty in the first half. The result breathed new life into a championship that had seemed certain to go to South Africa after they won their first four matches of the series to lead New Zealand by nine points.

Yesterday's 15-point loss has suddenly opened the way for the All Blacks to pinch the title if they win their last two matches and get at least one more bonus point than the South Africans.

The Australians were already out of the running for the title after losing three of their four matches by seven points or less but silenced their critics with their best performance of the series.

Wallabies' coach Robbie Deans was delighted his maligned team played out a full match to keep the Springboks under continuous pressure.

"We had three tries disallowed, but the guys kept coming and played for the 80 minutes and it was evident at the end that some of the belief and confidence was kicking in," he said.

"It's something we've been toiling away at and we felt we had been making progress but it wasn't evident in outcomes and we were keen to get one over the line."

Springbok skipper John Smit said although his team was second-best to the Wallabies they still held the fate of this year's Tri-Nations.

"We just didn't spend enough time in their half to create pressure," he said.

"We knew the Wallabies would come out firing, no one just loses four on the trot and rocks up.

"They were always going to be far more formidable this weekend and we still do have our own fate in our hands, so the guys will be fired up for our final game."