FOR someone whose coaching philosophy is largely tailored around reducing the results of whimsical officiating, Saturday's Rugby Championships defeat at the Patersons Stadium would have been tinged with irony for Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.

His team had ticked most of the important boxes, but in the final analysis a highly contentious yellow card to Bryan Habana and his team's failure to go for the Wallaby jugular when they had 20 minutes of dominance at the start of the second half conspired against his side in their 24-23 defeat.

The Springboks had established clear dominance in the third quarter but did not display the inclination to squeeze the life out of the home side.

Instead, the Boks were content to boot the ball into Perth's drizzly night sky, hoping the Wallabies would fluff their lines in the back three.

Although the Wallabies did not have the distance on their kicks to prevent the Boks from setting up camp in their half, it also meant that the tourists, with their limited ambition, were satisfied to try and keep the hosts at arm's length.

That worked until Habana was carded for a high tackle by Irish referee George Clancy, which set the game on course for a thrilling climax. "They didn't play a lot of attacking rugby. They tried to put pressure on our back three," said Wallaby captain Michael Hooper.

Grizzled Bok lock Victor Matfield explained keeping the ball under the protective blanket of the forwards became a lottery. "They countered us well but I'm not so sure it was done all legally. We have to check it in our reviews."

Added Meyer: "We did everything to win the game. We had to change our plans.

"We couldn't get Warren (Whiteley on debut) on. We had to get a forward off and a back on to help with the defending."