Australia 25 South Africa 32:South Africa took a step closer to winning a third Tri-Nations title with a 32-25 victory over Australia in Perth this morning.

The Springboks remain unbeaten in the tournament following their fourth win on the trot, while the Wallabies - after four consecutive defeats - are now out of title contention.

Australia will look back and rue a first-half performance that saw the South Africans run in three tries that helped the visitors along to a game-breaking 22-6 half-time lead. The Wallabies came out firing after the break, but the damage had already been done.

It was a balanced outing from the world champions who silenced their critics who labeled them as "boring", by crossing the opposition whitewash four times to end a polished display with a crucial bonus point. They blitzed the Wallabies with a high-tempo, high-risk approach in the first quarter, then battered them up front and with a solid tactical kicking game in thereafter.

This Perth triumph was arguably the best from the number-one-ranked side in the world, since they dismantled the men in gold in Johannesburg last year. One feels a replication of this performance in Brisbane or Hamilton in the next fortnight will see the trophy return to South Africa and cap a superb year for a brilliant team.

In fact, had Wallabies winger Lachie Turner not found his way over for a consolation try on the stroke of full-time, South Africa could have recorded their highest winning margin against Australia since 1971.