REACTION: ‘Real indication of where Wallabies are at’

Joe Schmidt is a clever bloke. He would have known the enormity of the task facing him and this Wallabies team against the world champions before it started and no amount of wins over Wales or Georgia were going to make a difference.

But knowing it is one thing, and seeing it unfold so savagely in front of his eyes is another.

South Africa’s 33-7 win was wrapped up well before the Wallabies scored their only points – against a Springboks down two players to yellow cards.

“It’s a real indication of where the Wallabies are currently at,” said Test legend Tim Horan on Stan Sport. “Totally outmuscled by this Springbok pack.”

“I thought in the first 20 minutes the Wallabies played into the hands of the Springboks. A couple of chip kicks that didn’t go to plan, Rob Valetini lost the ball. Those chances gave so much possession to the Springbok and that momentum showed.”

Morgan Turinui agreed: “It’s a great lesson of what real Test rugby is about. If you don’t take your chances world champion teams will make you pay and the Springboks have done that.”

The 3-0 winning record so far for Schmidt was a bit like the talk of a sell out crowd at Suncorp and what it meant for Australian rugby – great news on the surface but the reality was somewhat different. The Boks fans outnumbered Aussies in the pubs and then the stands.

The travelling supporters watched their team outclass the Australians, helped along by English referee Luke Pearce who blew the hosts out of the game.

But to blame the ref, or even the Australians chaotic execution at all aspects absolutely does a disservice to how good the Boks were.

It took South Africa 10 minutes to score their first try – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu had missed his first penalty shot to widespread amusement before that – and Australia hadn’t had the ball in hand in the Springbok half.

SFM had the next laugh, and every laugh after that as he outplayed Noah Lolesio in his first Test start.

In the first half Lolesio had virtually no possession although the little he did he kicked away without conviction.

Schmidt went with a kicking game but it went awry and not just from the No.10. Jake Gordon had the crowd groaning with his first two kick, both overcooked – while the shorter kicks were being snaffled up by the Boks and returned with heat.

“If you get your short-kicking game and your tactics wrong as the Wallabies have, you’re handing opportunities, territory, and a lethal forward pack too much ball,” said former Wallaby Morgan Turinui on Stan Sport.

Former skipper MIchael Hooper didn’t have issues with the tactics, just how they were executed.

“I don’t think kicking’s the wrong option. I just don’t think the execution’s been there,” Hooper said.

“I think they’re too short. So you’ve got to turn their forwards around just a bit further, an extra 10, 15 metres. Right now, they can stay put, and they can stand in the way of our chasers coming through. So we’re not getting a good contest on the ball.”

Dylan Pietsch of the Wallabies is tackled during The Rugby Championship match between Australia Wallabies and South Africa Springboks at Suncorp Stadium on August 10, 2024 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

Any time the Aussies ran the ball the Boks mopped them up. The Wallabies attack was narrow, noted Turinui at length, and adjustments will be required ahead of the second game next week.

“They’ve had chances but some small discipline errors have led to big, big costly mistakes,” said Justin Harrison.

“The Springboks team unrelenting in their attitude, given too many opportunities by the Wallabies.”

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