No excuses for defeat - Heyneke

Perth - Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has offered no excuses for his team's dying-minute defeat against Australia in their Rugby Championship Test in Perth on Saturday.

As it happened: Wallabies v Springboks

The Wallabies won 24-23 thanks to a late try by wing Rob Horne which saw the Springboks slip to second in the standings.

"It was always going to be close, especially away from home, but I thought we were in control for large periods of the game," said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.

"But all credit to them, you can't keep them out with 14 men in the last 10 minutes, especially away from home.

"I almost thought we had it, but the margins in this competition are very, very small. No excuses, they've done it and showed a lot of character at the end."

Teams:

Australia

15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Sam Carter, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 James Hanson, 1 James Slipper

Substitutes: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Ben Alexander, 19 James Horwill, 20 Scott Higginbotham, 21 Matt Hodgson, 22 Nic White, 23 Kurtley Beale


South Africa

15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Jan Serfontein, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.

Substitutes: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Warren Whiteley, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Damian de Allende