Australia v South Africa LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as dominant Springboks rout Wallabies
Australia 7-33 South Africa: The world champions showed their superiority at Suncorp Stadium to open their Rugby Championship campaign with a win
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South Africa showed their strength in a dominant performance as they kicked off the Rugby Championship with a 33-7 win over Australia in Brisbane.
The Wallabies had been three wins from three under new head coach Joe Schmidt, but were comfortably second best at Suncorp Stadium, unable to match the world champions’ set-piece superiority and physical edge. The Springboks were in total control for the entire contest, scoring thrice before half time having won the territorial battle, and adding two more tries after the interval to make totally certain as hot-stepping wing Kurt-Lee Arendse capitalised with a couple of scores.
Australia had their chances in the second half, but will rue their profligacy inside the visitors’ 22, coughing up possession repeatedly in advanced areas. For a young side in rebuilding mode after Schmidt’s appointment, there were signs of encouragement defensively but the hosts’ kicking game and attacking accuracy was short of the standards required to match Rassie Erasmus’ fearsome side.
The pair will meet again in Perth next week with the Springboks seeking just a second Rugby Championship crown since Argentina’s addition to the competition as they look to unseat defending champions New Zealand.
Follow all the latest reaction from Suncorp Stadium below:
TRY! Australia 0-14 SOUTH AFRICA (Pieter-Steph du Toit, 25 minutes)
And Pieter-Steph du Toit crashes over!
Australia congregated around the South African circus, sucked in spying an opportunity to nick the ball but unable to do so. That leaves them short of numbers as the visitors sweep away to the left, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu fizzes a pass to his onrushing lock to bash Andrew Kellaway aside and score the Springboks’ second.
Australia 0-7 South Africa, 24 minutes
Here come the Springboks again, though, adventuring up the right. It’s harum-scarum stuff but they just about manage to keep the ball alive, Siya Kolisi, Damian de Allende and Cobus Reinach like jugglers with chainsaws as they risk their limbs desperately keeping it in the air...
Australia 0-7 South Africa, 22 minutes
It’s been a super physica start, as we would have expected. Australia are still yet to really find fluency, but they are managing to stick in the fight.
Australia 0-7 South Africa, 19 minutes
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu! A first glimpse of what this budding superstar can do, switching defence into attack with a flash of feet and shrug of the shoulders as he somehow breaks clear of the Wallabies defence.
He finds Willie le Roux, who should put two men in up the right touchline...but the full-back never releases the pass! Oh, high-class butchery from Le Roux, ignoring the two men to this outside to try and go himself, but grabbed at the ankles by Andrew Kellaway. The Wallabies scramble back and survive!
Australia 0-7 South Africa, 18 minutes
Australia’s carriers just aren’t winning the gainline. Ben-Jason Dixon, Cheslin Kolbe and Pieter-Steph du Toit all make crunching hits in the passage, erecting a palisade on their own ten-metre line.
Australia 0-7 South Africa, 17 minutes
South Africa are generally edging the kicking exchanges, though Tom Wright puts his full mass throw a punt from inside his own 22 for a significant territorial gain. Willie le Roux considers a quick throw but finds no willing recipient.
The Springboks’ lineout drill functions well, though Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu rather slices his clearance. Australia will play inside the visitors’ half.
Australia 0-7 South Africa, 14 minutes
An odd tactical ploy from Australia, a pre-prepared routine with Jake Gordon hoisting into the Springboks backfield early in the phase count. Perhaps they spotted a space left vacant by South Africa in previous Tests but Cheslin Kolbe is perfectly placed today, settling beneath it like an outfield and claiming a comfortable mark.
Australia 0-7 South Africa, 13 minutes
Cobus Reinach will continue, though doesn’t look to be moving totally freely. Cheslin Kolbe is, though, and dazzles Lukhan Salakaia-Loto with a right-left step combo, allowing him to release an offload. Pieter-Steph du Toit lumbers on but runs out of room on the right.
Australia 0-7 South Africa, 12 minutes
A real worry for South Africa as Cobus Reinach and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu collide in mid-air, each with eyes on the ball as they try to beat Filipo Daugunu to it. Reinach does but takes his teammate’s shoulder right in the ribs. Down he goes for some treatment.
TRY! Australia 0-7 SOUTH AFRICA (Siya Kolisi try, 10 minutes)
An intricate lineout moves and the Springboks rumble over!
Variety, venom and eventually unstoppable velocity from South Africa. Bongi Mbonambi tosses to the tail and a hoisted Ben-Jason Dixon, who hurls it back the other way to a lifted Eben Etzebeth, the long-limbed pair forming two towers at either end of the lineout. In pile the bodies as Etzebeth comes to ground, with Kolisi ensuring safe passage of the ball to the tryline. It’s beautifully worked.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu adds the extras.
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