John O’Neill, the chief executive of the Australian Rugby Union, has been berating the northern hemisphere for its refusal to bow to the IRB’s ideological quest and their sweeping Experimental Law Variations. He cited the ugly nature of the World Cup semi-finals and final as compelling reasons for change. The contrast, according to O’Neill, between those matches and the two All Black-Springbok Tests of the past few weeks was clinching proof of the innate superiority of the ELVs Australia want to see ratified for the purpose of saving the game.

Yesterday, the excruciating first 40 minutes of this TriNations fixture was conclusive evidence that a fundamental rewrite of rules alone is no guarantee for the one-dimen-sional entertainment which obsesses O’Neill. The problems had little to do with laws and everything to do with the standard of play and the limitation of ambitions.

In the World Cup, South Africa trusted their defence and physical superiority in contact, combined with a soaring lineout, would suffice without any great imagination. Forced to dig deeper in Dunedin last week they did so, but in Perth the world champions primarily mimicked their World Cup efforts with robust defending and a long-ball kicking game designed to turn over ball and force a few positions from which someone like Bryan Habana might strike. George Smith, playing so close to the floor and the laws that it didn’t really matter under which set of rules the maestro performed, was pilfering possession normally the domain of the South Africa back row. The result was frustration for the more incisive visitors, who rarely developed any of the muscular momentum so vital to their gameplan. The odd broken-field run by No 8 Pierre Spies and a well-constructed first-phase move with Jean de Villiers slicing through the mid-field aside, defence dominated until Lote Tuqiri finished a solitary sharp Australian raid to secure a slightly surprising 5-3 lead at half-time. Old rules, new rules, it was rotten rugby rather than antiquated laws that dominated the first half.

However, the new rules were to play a profound part in Stirling Mortlock’s try which left South Africa seven points adrift early in the second half. After winning a free-kick near South Africa’s line Australia opted for an attacking scrum. Under the new rules the defending side have to stand five metres behind the back foot of the scrum, giving precious space to the offence. The Wallaby front five stayed steady to launch their captain on a diagonal surge to the try line.

Allied with the brilliance of Smith in the back row, South Africa found themselves forced backwards, a fact underlined by the substitution of the foraging Schalk Burger for the fast and footloose Ryan Kankowski.

Matt Giteau pushed Australia to a handy looking 13-3 lead before Butch James cut the gap to seven points. Even so South Africa looked spent; like a team who had just given everything in New Zealand. Logic and the scoreboard pointed towards Australia as the second half sporadically slipped the first half tedium and the defensive wills.

There is little doubt the ELVs accelerate the game. The barrage of free-kicks rather than penalties added a simplistic, frenetic adrenaline, but the match meandered towards the amorphous. That suited Australia, who benefited from the blunting of South Africa’s set-piece weapons. When Giteau blocked JP Pietersen and the Springboks were able to set up an attacking lineout, they almost created a try for Habana as the Wallaby forwards marked their opposite numbers and were taken out of the broken-field defence. It was Habana's last chance. He was immediately substituted, along with Butch James, as evidence of New Zealand took its toll.

The better team were battered before kick-off, but Francois Steyn kicked South Africa to within four points in the 70th minute as South African desperation ignited their late challenge. Tendai Mtawarira, the replacement prop, made a splendid dash from near his line to lift them, but when hopes rose Smith was always there to dash them, either slowing down or turning ball over.

Finally, from yet another turnover, Berrick Barnes dropped a match-sealing goal. Tactical kicking, defensive pressure and a late drop-goal; this was Australia doing what England could not against the Springboks.

The usually public thoughts of O’Neill will be interesting in the week ahead. Victory was a scrappy affair where only Smith, becoming the Wallabies’ most-capped forward, touched the heights as he mined the breakdown depths. Enthralling? At a push. Entertaining? Not in your wildest dreams, John.

Star man: George Smith (Aus)

AUSTRALIA: A Ashley-Cooper; P Hynes (D Mitchell 80min), S Mortlock (capt, R Cross 49min), B Barnes, L Tuqiri; M Giteau, L Burgess (S Cordingley 72min); B Robinson, S Moore (T Polota-Nau 72min), A Baxter (M Dunning 72min), J Horwill, N Sharpe (H McMeniman 72min), R Elsom (P Waugh 78min), W Palu, G Smith

SOUTH AFRICA: C Jantjes; JP Pietersen, F Steyn, J de Villiers, B Habana (R Pienaar 66min); B James (P Grant 61min), R Januarie, G Steenkamp (T Mtawarira 51min), S Brits (A Strauss 51min), CJ van der Linde, B Botha, V Matfield (capt), S Burger (R Kankowski 49min), P Spies, J Smith

Referee:B Lawrence (New Zealand) Attendance: 41,838