South Africa ended its four-game losing streak in the Tri-Nations with a 44-31 win over Australia in a pulsating nine-try encounter.
Victor Matfield celebrated victory in his 100th test at his home ground of Loftus Versfeld when winger JP Pietersen ran in the Springboks' fifth try with two minutes remaining to seal victory.
Australia, which has never won at Loftus Versfeld and hasn't won at a highveld venue since 1963, led 14-0 and 21-7 early in the first half before the hosts fought back to go ahead for the first time in the 50th minute.
Forwards Juan Smith, Gurthro Steenkamp and Pierre Spies and recalled fullback Francois Steyn also scored tries for South Africa.
Australia had two tries from James O'Connor and one from Will Genia and Dean Mumm.
Pietersen made sure of South Africa's first win of its Tri-Nations campaign when Matfield and center Jean de Villiers moved the ball quickly to the right winger, who sprinted home in the dying minutes.
"A lot can happen in a week," said South Africa captain John Smit, whose 100th test ended in a dramatic defeat to New Zealand last weekend. "I am really happy with the boys. We needed a win today or a bit of Prozac.
"A start like that is something we want to scratch out pretty quickly, but the boys stuck to their task. This crowd was unbelievable and it was well deserved for a big hero like Victor (Matfield)."
South Africa flyhalf Morne Steyn kicked six from six attempts at goal.
Australia center Matt Giteau landed four conversions and a penalty.
The Wallabies stunned the Pretoria crowd as they raced out of the blocks with tries to Genia and O'Connor for a 14-0 lead in the first five minutes.
O'Connor grabbed his second after a terrible mistake from opposite winger Bryan Habana and Mumm benefited from a quick tap from fullback Kurtley Beale to earn the Australians a bonus point for four tries in just 26 minutes.
But South Africa began to claw its way back into the match through flanker Smith, prop Steenkamp and No. 8 Spies.
Steenkamp's try, driving through the Australian forwards from a lineout, was the fifth of the match in less than 15 minutes.
The Springboks then cranked up the pressure in the second half to outscore the tiring Australians 20-3 at the high-altitude stadium and continue Australia's miserable record at Loftus. The Aussies have now lost five from five in Pretoria.
"It was obviously a game we could have won," said Australia coach Robbie Deans. "We went missing when it really mattered."
"We got restricted in the second half and it cost us," Wallaby skipper Rocky Elsom said. "It was moving so fast that whoever was able to hold onto the ball was going to win and we weren't able to do that.
"We took a few of our chances and the guys were definitely on task. We just came up a little bit short at the end."
Powerful play from Wallabies lock Nathan Sharpe at a five-metre scrum had set up Genia, the scrumhalf slipping through attempted tackles from Matfield and De Villiers to score inside three minutes.
Australia's quick start continued when Beale broke the length of the pitch and found captain Elsom in support. Elsom was brought down close to the tryline but Genia retrieved possession and sent a short pass for O'Connor to slip over.
The stunned Springboks regained their composure from a scrum in the Australian 22-metre area. An inside pass from livewire scrumhalf Francois Hougaard saw Smith stride in between the posts.
O'Connor ran in his second when Habana dropped Quade Cooper's kickoff. But South Africa came back again, making use of Steyn's penalty kick for the corner when Steenkamp powered over.
Steyn kicked the conversion from out wide and then added a monstrous 57-metre penalty in the 20th to close the gap to 21-17.
Australia continued with its fast-paced, expansive game, turning over possession deep in its own half soon after and finding the dangerous Mitchell in space on the left wing. His kick was gathered by Habana but the Springbok wing gave away a penalty under pressure in front of his own posts, and a quick tap from Beale set up Mumm for Australia's fourth in the 26th.
Five minutes later, the home team hit back again when a break from Hougaard created space for Spies and he powered free to dive over under the bar.
Australia led 28-24 at halftime but Steyn added a second penalty to close the gap to a point in the 47th. However, Giteau replied immediately with his first penalty goal.
South Africa went ahead for the first time after Danie Rossouw claimed possession from the kickoff and South Africa piled forward. The Boks hammered away until Morne Steyn darted for the line and sent a pass over his shoulder that fell for namesake Francois Steyn to score in the corner.
Morne Steyn extended his kicking return to six from six at his home ground to push South Africa 34-31 ahead.
Australia soon threatened through Mitchell, who was stopped a metre short on the left wing. The Wallabies then moved the ball quickly to the right but Adam Ashley-Cooper was denied by a try-saving tackle from man of the match Hougaard.
With Morne Steyn substituted, Francois Steyn landed a long-range penalty to extend South Africa's lead to 37-31 and, under pressure from the Australians in the final stages, South Africa finally broke away to send Pietersen clear.
South Africa coach Peter de Villiers said: "I was worried when we gave them those tries. It took a lot of heart and a lot of character to come back and win a game like this.
"The guys knew they messed up the first half. But heart is what this team is all about."
AP