Australia vs. South Africa: Winners and Losers in 2015 Rugby Championship Game

Australia stole a last-gasp victory against South Africa with a 24-20 win to kick off their Rugby Championship campaign.

The Wallabies had a try in injury time by Tevita Kuridrani to thank for this win after coming back from 20-10 down to a superior South African side.

The Springboks bossed possession and territory in the first half and capitalised on some poor defending early in the second to make it look as though they would be recording an away win.

But Australia redoubled their efforts to stand their ground in the set piece and worked hard to find a way through a resolute Springbok rearguard.

Let's have a look at the winners and losers.

The recall for Matt Giteau was a major talking point before this game, and it took less than a half of rugby for the Toulon man to show what he could do.

Quade Cooper looped around the inside centre with Giteau holding two South African defenders in front of him before timing his return ball to Cooper perfectly.

The fly-half then put Adam Ashley Cooper through a hole to execute a rehearsed moved to devastating, try-scoring effect.

Giteau had a decent return to the Wallaby jersey, making one huge bust in the second half that should have led to a try for Israel Folau, had his pop pass not been just too high for the onrushing full-back.

Without wishing to poor cold water on an impressive first cap for South African outside centre Jess Kriel, his try was a gift from the rugby gods, who seemed to part the green-and-gold sea in front of the young man.

Three Wallaby tacklers practically got their lollipops out and waved the Blue Bull through.

Not good enough at this level.

South Africa’s injury problems in the back row forced Heyneke Meyer into fielding three openside flankers in his trio in Brisbane.

It worked in his favour in the end, with three ball-hunters robbing plenty of Wallaby possession at the breakdown.

They were supplemented by the ravenous Bismarck du Plessis who forced two turnovers himself in the first half to aid the work of Schalk Burger, Francois Louw and Marcel Coetzee. The hooker was at it again just after the restart.

Australia had little answer to the strength of the South Africans over the ball and lost several possessions as a result.

Each side lost a key, experienced man in this contest.

South African skipper Victor Matfield hobbled out of the action before the half-hour mark with what ESPN’s live coverage suggested was a hamstring problem, and for Australia, Will Genia was left nursing a knee injury after half–time.

Matfield's loss will arguably be felt more by South Africa given their current injury woes in the back five of their scrum.

Genia played well in the first 40 minutes, but his replacement Nick Phipps was at the heart of their second–half revival.

In the dying minutes, Wallaby skipper Stephen Moore opted for a shot at the posts to level the game.

Matt Giteau's effort was short, but when Australia were gifted another penalty chance, Moore opted to kick for the corner, and his players rewarded his bravery, building sufficient pressure to work Tevita Kuridrani over for the winning score.

Moore's composure in that moment is to be commended, as was his all-round effort, scrummaging hard against a powerful South African unit and hitting the mark in the lineout more often than not.