Joe Schmidt’s view on stark caps difference between Wallabies & Springboks

Joe Schmidt has provided a candid assessment of the Wallabies’ 33-7 loss to the Springboks by explaining how difficult it was for the hosts “to find oxygen” in the one-sided defeat at their fallen fortress Suncorp Stadium.

The Wallabies have a history of success at the Brisbane venue which included a run of four consecutive wins over the Springboks. South Africa hadn’t tasted victory in the River City in more than a decade but that came to a triumphant end on Saturday.

Nick Frost caught the first kick-off and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto took the first hit-up in phase play but it was pretty well all South Africa from there as the visitors took control. The Boks dominated the possession and territory battles and eventually turned that into points.

Captain Siya Kolisi peeled off a maul to score the opening try inside the opening 10 minutes, and Pieter-Steph du Toit and Kurt-Lee Arendse also got on the scoresheet to help the Springboks take a dominant 21-nil lead into the break.

The Test was a bit closer during the second term with the Springboks scoring two tries to the Wallabies’ one, but the result was never really in doubt. South Africa put on a clinic as they started their Rugby Championship campaign with a bang.

“Yeah the scoreline is the scoreline but the performance is what we really need to focus on and try to get a number of the elements more competitive,” Australia coach Joe Schmidt told reporters about an hour after full-time.

“I thought from most of the collision areas, all of the collision areas really, we struggled from the breakdown – they got some early traction through their scrum penalties. The lineout, I felt we defended the lineout maul reasonably well in the first half and kept them off our line.

“The one they did get with the transfer, aerial transfer, I felt we probably should’ve done better. We kind of anticipated it but we didn’t deliver the defence that we were looking to deliver.

“They don’t give you a lot of breathing space. It was hard to find oxygen in that first half, particularly when we connected, I think, eight or nine penalties and they didn’t concede a penalty… to the same extent.

“It just made it very, very tough work getting out of our half and then when we did, we kicked the ball away a couple of times without kicking it accurately. We didn’t get into the aerial contest and then obviously, the contest at the breakdown, we just weren’t effective enough there.”

The Wallabies lost winger Filipo Daugunu midway through the first half with an injury as the physical toll of playing South Africa began to show. Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams and Jake Gordon also picked up either a knock or nasty laceration during the Test.

There aren’t a whole lot of positives to speak of from an Australian perspective with the team struggling to get anything going with the little ball they had. The Wallabies kicked plenty of ball away which fed the Springboks’ confidence and winning momentum.

Backrower Carlo Tizzano was a shining light on debut. The Western Australian led the way for tackles completed with just shy of 20 stops in defence, and the flanker wasn’t afraid to throw his body around in attack as well.

With Daugunu going off, some others walking away worse for wear and Tizzano starring, it’ll be interesting to see what the Wallabies’ 23 looks like next time. It’s a rugby cliché to say that a week is a long time in Tests, but the Boks will be waiting for another clash in Perth.

“I don’t think you can ever guarantee anything. I think South Africa will maybe change up a few personal or change up a few of the things that they did. You’re always trying to adjust,” Schmidt said.

“I do think that there is an opportunity for us to get back into some of those contests. From the scrum to the aerial contest, where we didn’t really get into the contest. if you don’t get into those contest areas then it’s very hard to play without the ball against a team as powerful and as fleet of foot and skilful as the South Africans.

“I think there’s guys who will improve that they’re delivering,” he added. “Maybe it won’t be improved in time for next Saturday but we do have to have a bit of a long-term plan.

“We have a much younger side than the South Africans. We’ve got a lot less caps, we’ve got a lot less experience and therefore, my belief, if we chop and change too much then it’s very hard to grow the cohesion.

“When you go out in a game like that, you are very interdependent and you’re going to have to make sure that everyone knows their role, has been built ready to deliver their role.

“I thought Carlo Tizzano did really well today, really well but it would’ve been nice to have Fraser McReight as well… there’s guys who will get better with opportunity.

“I am a realist and I know that you don’t suddenly match up, front up and better those guys but you’ve got to better yourself for next week.”