OWN CORRESPONDENT, Brisbane | Saturday 5.30pm.
FORMER Springbok captain Tiaan Strauss celebrated his first match for his adopted home with an historic hat-trick as Australia brushed aside Ireland 46-10 in the first test at Ballymore on Saturday.
Strauss’s arrival as a replacement five minutes into the second half heralded a turnaround for the rusty Australians, who swept away with the match in a six-try romp after a tight first 40 minutes.
The number eight immediately added impact to the Australian loose forwards before making rugby history with a hat-trick of tries in an international debut.
With the Irish forwards’ steadily losing touch with their opponents the longer the match progressed, Strauss brought up his first try in the 62nd minute with a typically aggressive charge through a splintered defensive line.
His second came six minutes later when Australian fullback Chris Latham broke the line and passed inside to Strauss, who played 15 tests for South Africa before coming to Australia for an unsuccessful stint in rugby league.
South Africa-born Strauss stood out for state side New South Wales in their disappointing Super 12 series this year. He finished his first test for his adopted home full of running, backing up another break by the Australians through a wilting Irish line two minutes from fulltime.
Another South African who has emigrated, Former Springbok sevens captain and Western Province No8 Dion O’Cuinneagain, captained the Irish side; while South African referee Andre Watson blew the game’s whistle. — Reuters