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Scores
AUS vs RSA
The Rugby Championship
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Australia
vs
South Africa
7
FT
33
Action
Lineups
All
Facts Only
All
Full-Time: 7 - 33
A lot of lessons to be taken from this clash for the Wallabies, with the Boks taking a resounding victory in their Rugby Championship opener with the full complement of points. These two sides are back in action against one another again next weekend in Perth, and the Wallabies have plenty to fix in the next 7 days if they want to avoid falling foul to the ruthless Springboks again!
Despite the story told by the scoreline, the Wallabies defence was actually pretty strong before the break. They were under relentless pressure by a Boks side that were camped down in their half with ball in hand, but for the all the pressure they were absorbing they only let slip three tries. Given the intensity of the Boks' game the dam wall was bound to break for the home side in the second half, but they did well to only concede another two in the second 40 as they finally got some possession of their own with the Boks' discipline devolving somewhat towards the end.
South Africa went into the break with their biggest ever lead against the Wallabies in Australia, having prevented their hosts from being able to put any points on the board in the first half. The Boks added another two to their tally after the break, and while it took over 20 minutes to do so they put them on the board in quick succession. It took the home side until the 76th minute to get themselves on the board, and it was when the Boks had two in the bin before they did.
The biggest issue for the Wallabies was simply a lack of any good go forward ball. They were under enormous pressure at the breakdowns, giving away penalties on their own ball so many times that they simply couldn't build any momentum. Their handling did not do them any favour either, coughing the ball up at numerous key moments when they actually had opportunities to put points on the board.
The Boks also used their lineouts to decent effect, setting up a couple of rolling mauls that the Wallabies struggled to control. It created a good platform for the visitors to get their backline onto the front foot, and also proved to draw in some of the defence to open things up a bit in the wide channels. South Africa did try their hand at a couple of crossfield kicks to make use of that space, but it didn't quite stick today.
The Boks were quick out the blocks early on in the match, taking their first scrum penalty with less than three minutes on the clock. That really set the tone for the set piece for the rest of the game, with the only snafu coming right at the end where the visitors went a bit early on the shove. Other than that, the Boks took multiple penalties at scrum time as they forced the visitors around over and over under pressure.
An absolute statement win from the Springboks! They scored five tries to one, and the Wallabies were only able to put theirs on the board in the final minutes when South Africa were reduced to 13 through yellow cards. The Boks were just totally relentless on attack and ruthless on defence throughout this clash, starving the Wallabies of ball and territory and forcing them to absorb hit after hit on defence.
80+1'
Time is up here... But the Boks want to keep playing! Feinberg-Mngomezulu doesn't find touch in the left corner. The Wallabies gather and spread it out to the left wing where they drive up out of the 22 before Reimer once again coughs the ball up. Doesn't that just sum it up! Game over!
80'
Wallabies driving up off the lineout on the 22, but there's no room in the midfield. Back they go with a long pass over the top to Wilson on the left touchline, but it's coughed up again on the floor! The visitors clean up and smash the kick back up towards halfway. Smith with a huge chase, and he forces the penalty on the floor!