The Wallaroos secured a tight victory with a 33-26 win over South Africa, positioning themselves to compete against Scotland for the WXV 2 title in Cape Town. Jo Yapp’s team started strong, quickly building a 21-5 lead within the first 15 minutes.
Despite having several opportunities to increase their advantage before halftime, errors and a determined South African team kept the match competitive. Tries from Maya Stewart and Desiree Miller appeared to place the Wallaroos in a commanding position, but the hosts mounted a late comeback.
South Africa scored two tries towards the end of the match, creating a thrilling finish as they sought to level the score. Ultimately, Ash Marsters emerged as a key player, making a vital defensive play on their own goal line while also tying the record for the most caps for an Australian player.
With this result, Australia leads the WXV 2 standings and will face off against second-placed Scotland in the final round next Sunday to determine the champion.
The match began with high intensity as the Wallaroos maintained their momentum from the previous game against Wales. Coach Jo Yapp praised the atmosphere and acknowledged the physicality of the Springbok side, noting that they posed a significant challenge throughout the entire match.
“We had opportunities in the first half to exploit the wide spaces and moved the ball well, but a couple of disallowed tries kept South Africa in contention,” Yapp said after the game. She expressed pride in her team’s resilience and teamwork, highlighting how successfully they defended their lead under pressure.