The Wallabies delivered on the form that they have been promising all of this TriNations when the beat the Springboks by 21 points to 6 at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
The Springboks crucially failed to pick up any points at all which means that they will need to beat the All Blacks in Hamilton next week in order to win the TriNations or lose with a bonus point.
The All Blacks need two bonus point wins to beat the Springboks for the title.
The Wallabies outscored the Springboks by two tries to nil and the Springboks could only muster a drop goal and a penalty from Morne Steyn.
The victory for the Wallabies could have been a lot bigger as they got over the tryline three times but either lost the ball in the tackle or had a foot in touch.
Australia laid siege to the South Africans for the entire second half to open the door for the All Blacks to come from behind to pip the Springboks with two games left in the southern hemisphere championship.
South Africa, going into the Brisbane Test leading by nine points, now face a potential make-or-break series showdown with the All Blacks in Hamilton next Saturday.
The Springboks have not won in Brisbane since 1971 and have now lost all their six matches against the Wallabies at Lang Park -- and have been held try-less in their past four Tests at the venue.
The Wallabies scored two second-half tries from centre Adam Ashley-Cooper and teenage fullback James O'Connor with Matt Giteau landing a conversion, two penalties and a drop goal.
South Africa's points came from a penalty goal and a drop goal from flyhalf Morne Steyn.
Wallabies' coach Robbie Deans was delighted his maligned team played out a full match to keep the Springboks under continuous pressure.
"We had three tries disallowed, but the guys kept coming and played for the 80 minutes and it was evident at the end that some of the belief and confidence was kicking in," he said.
"It's something we've been toiling away at and we felt we had been making progress but it wasn't evident in outcomes and we were keen to get one over the line."
Springbok skipper John Smit said although his team was second-best to the Wallabies they still held the fate of this year's Tri-Nations.
"We just didn't spend enough time in their half to create pressure," he said.
"We knew the Wallabies would come out firing, no one just loses four on the trot and rocks up.
"They were always going to be far more formidable this weekend and we still do have our own fate in our hands, so the guys will be fired up for our final game."
It was exactly what the Wallabies deserved as they dominated all the second half after leading 9-6 at half-time to clinch their first win of this year's Tri-Nations series after losing their opening four games.
The Wallabies were a far different proposition to the one that were comprehensively outgunned by the Springboks in Perth last weekend.
Playing with passion and verve, the Australians ripped into the rucks and tackles with relish and led 6-0 after two early Giteau penalties.
The home side appeared to have scored in the 16th minute when rookie scrumhalf Will Genia sent winger Lachie Turner on his way, only for Bryan Habana to tackle him into the right corner post.
Steyn reduced the deficit with a 29th-minute drop goal and the Australians lost two players, Turner and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, both with rib injuries before half-time.
The impressive Australian scrum lifted up the Springbok front row before Giteau landed a 35th-minute drop goal for a 9-3 lead.
Steyn landed a penalty nearing half-time but the visitors had a try disallowed when Fourie du Preez's pass was ruled forward to flanker Heinrich Brussow.
The Wallabies' intensity forced the Springboks in the second period to revert to their kicking game to find a way through their tigerish defence.
Genia had a try disallowed by the video referee in the 53rd minute after taking a quick tap penalty and the Springboks had another close shave when Giteau was denied by Jaque Fourie's tackle in the right corner.
But the breakthrough came in the 63rd minute when Berrick Barnes put Ashley-Cooper into a hole and the centre stormed over to give the Wallabies a 10-point buffer.
O'Connor, 19, clinched the match when he streaked away to score four minutes from full-time.
Final Score Australia 21 South Africa 6
Scorers
Australia
Tries - Adam Ashley-Cooper, James O'Connor
Pen - Matt Giteau 2
Con - Matt Giteau
Drop - Matt Giteau
South Africa
Tries -
Pen - Morne Steyn
Con -
Drop - Morne Steyn
Man of the match : Benn Robinson
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
TMO: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assessor: Bob Francis (New Zealand)
Teams (15-1)
Australia - James O'Connor; Lachie Turner, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell; Matt Giteau, Will Genia; George Smith (captain), David Pocock, Rocky Elsom; Mark Chisholm, James Horwill; Ben Alexander, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson.
Reserves: Stephen Moore, Pek Cowan, Dean Mumm, Wycliff Palu, Luke Burgess, Quade Cooper, Peter Hynes.
South Africa - Ruan Pienaar; Odwa Ndungane, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez; Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Heinrich Brussow; Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha; John Smit (captain), Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira.
Reserves: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Jannie du Plessis, Danie Rossouw, Schalk Burger, Ricky Januarie, Adi Jacobs, Frans Steyn.
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