Springboks break Australian hoodoo with win over Wallabies in Sydney
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie admits his side missed a golden opportunity to put one hand on the Rugby Championship trophy, brutalised 24-8 by South Africa in Sydney.
Instead of moving a win clear at the top of the table after New Zealand’s 53-3 smashing of Argentina earlier on Saturday, the title is now anyone’s after the Springboks turned in a flawless display highlighted by a dazzling debut try for 19-year-old winger Canan Moodie.
They’ll now head into their two-Test Bledisloe Cup series with all four sides on 2-2 records and the All Blacks topping the charts having netted two bonus point wins.
Coming off a strong win over the world champion Springboks a week ago in Adelaide, the Wallabies were smashed in the collision from the outset and are still yet to win back-to-back games this season.
“I don’t know about one (step) forward, two (steps) back … it’s a tough competition, you’ve got to be at your best every week to be in with a sniff,” coach Dave Rennie told reporters.
“Clearly that’s been a big part of our mantra, we have an understanding we’re playing for something bigger than ourselves and there’s no shortage of motivation and certainly no shortage of belief.
“We’ve got to win those key moments and we’ve got to do the basics a hell of a lot better.”
All four completed two-game series to date have ended 1-1, despite being played in one country rather than home and away, in what has quickly become a topsy-turvy Rugby Championship.
The Springboks scored twice either side of the half but it was Moodie’s first Test try that stole the show, soaring above Marika Koroibete to pluck a towering Jaden Hendrikse box kick and race away to score.
Winger Makazole Mapimpi capped the win on 72 minutes, his try producing one of a number of skirmishes littered throughout the Test.
Mapimpi was sin-binned for sparking a big scuffle when he pushed Koroibete after beating him to score, in what appeared to be a degree of revenge after the Wallaby winger smashed him over the sideline with a monster hit as he attempted to score in the Adelaide Test.
A frustrated Rennie saw a string of problems with his side’s display.
“The biggest thing was we needed to play with a little bit more optimism, we’re struggling to get our game going, we needed to play with a bit of tempo and kick smarter,” he said.
“Even at 17-3 with 10 minutes left we felt if we got down the other end of the field and get some continuity, maybe we could claw this back.
“It felt like we didn’t fire a shot and they’re very good at strangling us, they go multi-phase and then put it up in the corner and choke you down there.
Injury blows didn’t help Australia, losing centre Hunter Paisami and five-eighth Noah Lolesio to head knocks, while impact bench prop Taniela Tupou never entered the fray after a calf injury sustained while warming up.
Having orchestrated South Africa’s first win in Australia in nine years, coach Jacques Nienaber said the performance was a huge step up from the Adelaide defeat.
“Obviously last week we created a couple of opportunities and I thought we didn’t take those,” he told reporters.
“That was better tonight and obviously we weren’t happy with the intensity we started the game with last week, especially those first 20 to 25 minutes … that was a big step up today.”
– Alex Mitchell
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope Leinster’s proud of themselves fielding a poor team. They should decide if they’re all in or not.
1 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
25 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
6 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
6 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to comments