South africa stunned its critics with a hard-fought 26-22 victory over Australia in the Tri-Nations rugby union opener on Saturday at Newlands in Cape Town.

　　After an unconvincing start to the season, with three comeback wins over Scotland and Argentina, South Africa was widely expected to be exposed by the world champion Wallabies.

　　However, a gutsy display in defense, marked by thumping tackles and turnovers at rucks, rattled the Australians, even though they outscored the Springboks three tries to two.

　　I was very proud of the way the guys played, South Africa captain Corne Krige said. We have said all along that we are involved in a process, and it has taken a lot of guts from the players and the coaches to take the criticism.

　　Much of South Africa?s victory could be attributed to some almost brutal tackling, a feature almost entirely missing from the Springbok makeup previously this season.

　　Recalled inside center De Wet Barry led by example, never missing a tackle and managing to win possession in the tackle on some occasions.

　　Australia managed to regroup after the initial furious assault by the hosts, and was in the match for most of the second half. The Wallabies scored two unanswered tries in the second half to flanker Phil Waugh and winger Joe Roff to close within four with 20 minutes to go. However, they were unable to hold possession long enough.

　　South Africa led 20-10 at halftime, thanks to an astonishing sequence of events which brought Brent Russell on to the field much earlier than his reputation as an impact player would normally dictate.

　　He replaced Jaco van der Westhuyzen in the fourth minute after the Springbok fullback was injured jumping for a ball.

　　Russell made an immediate impact as the South Africans hit back hard after going down 0-3 to a Matthew Burke dropped goal in the third minute.

　　After being awarded a penalty in front, South Africa spurned the shot at goal, and recycled the ball to Russell, who overlapped for the opening try.

　　Until the second quarter, the Wallabies lived on scraps of possession, but they were able to convert some of that into a try by untouched right wing Wendell Sailor, who finally broke the resilient South African defense in the 26th minute for a 10-7 lead.

　　Russell responded with breathtaking enthusiasm, after Sailor was cut down while trying to launch an attacking kick to the inside. Russell scythed down the right, and figured twice in a move which stretched the Wallaby defense and ended with lock Victor Matfield scoring South Africa?s best try in a year.

　　The Springboks host New Zealand at Pretoria next Saturday.