Too big, too powerful. The Wallabies were taught a lesson by the Springboks, who showed why they are the back-to-back world champions during their drought-breaking 33-7 win in Brisbane.
“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,” Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt reflected.
“I thought from most of the collision areas, all of the collision areas really, we struggled from the breakdown.”
The Wallabies were on the wrong end of a 15-12 penalty count but tellingly 13 of those penalties came inside the opening 60 minutes. It’s no surprise therefore they trailed 33-0 at that point.
The Wallabies’ pack was monstered by the Springboks at the scrum and in the contact zone.
It meant the Wallabies’ backline was starved of possession but they didn’t help themselves either by wastefully kicking the ball away during the opening 20 minutes.
At that point, the Wallabies only trailed 7-0. But their inaccurate kicking, coupled by some poor detail and execution at the attacking breakdown meant they didn’t get their first completed ruck inside the opposition 22 until late in the first half.
As former Wallaby turned pundit Morgan Turinui however often pointed out throughout Stan’s coverage of the 26-point loss, Schmidt’s men didn’t help themselves by their narrowness in attack. The Wallabies merely ran into brick walls and rarely got through it.
Joe Schmidt during the Wallabies’ heavy loss to the Springboks at Suncorp Stadium on August 10, 2024 in Brisbane. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
Schmidt is taking on the responsibilities of running the attack, so the New Zealander will be looking at himself about why the Wallabies got little pay out of their attacking raids.
They weren’t helped either by a lineout that increasingly struggled to provide clean, quick ball for Jake Gordon and his inside backs. It meant the Wallabies’ back three barely touched the ball.
So how did the Wallabies rate?
Tom Wright – 5
Wright’s frustrating afternoon was summed up by his decision to run the ball back at the death. Starved of possession, Wright pinned the ears back but got isolated and was penalised for holding on.
Earlier, the attacking threat backed himself rather than unleashing Andrew Kellaway. Moments later, with the Wallabies’ halfback under pressure, the Springboks managed to turn the ball over and counter attack.
Wright also couldn’t hang on to a Grant Williams box kick in the 66th minute.
Andrew Kellaway – 5
The reliable Wallabies winger made Willie le Roux look silly when he held onto the fullback to deny the Springboks a second try midway through the first half.
Ten minutes later though he was defensively caught out though as he rushed up and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu threw a lovely ball over the top and unleashed Kurt-Lee Arendse. The winger was only denied by a last-ditched effort by Gordon and Tom Wright.
Kellaway was also unfortunately shown a yellow card for lifting Cobus Reinach into a vulnerable position where, ultimately, the little No.9 landed on his head.
The Wallabies winger rarely saw the ball though.
Andrew Kellaway was shown a yellow card during the Wallabies’ 33-7 loss to the Springboks at Suncorp Stadium on August 10, 2024. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
Len Ikitau – 6
Played his part defensively and physically measured up on both sides of the ball.
Hunter Paisami – 5.5
The Wallabies inside centre let himself down in the first half by crawling on the ground first phase after a strong carry off his own line.
But physically Paisami held up. He broke the line in the 23rd minute with some great hustle and bustle.
Later, Paisami crossed the line after being put over by Tom Wright against a 13-man Springboks side.
Filipo Daugunu – 5
Started the game well, with a fine tackle on Pieter-Steph du Toit in the 13th minute.
Daugunu physically measured up.
But unfortunately the Wallabies winger was replaced after 25 minutes with a leg injury.
Marika Koroibete will likely be recalled for the Perth rematch.
Noah Lolesio – 4.5
It’s not necessarily what Lolesio did but what he didn’t.
Unfortunately, the Wallabies playmaker couldn’t turn the tide and free his side up.
Few playmakers can when starved of possession but nor did Lolesio’s kicking game measure up in the opening 10 minutes, including his poor up-and-under in the sixth minute.
The poor kick allowed the Springboks to counter and immediately turn the screws on the Wallabies.
Tate McDermott and Len Ikitau react following their Rugby Championship loss in Brisbane. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
Jake Gordon – 5
Two wasteful kicks during the opening 15 minutes deep inside South Africa’s half proved telling.
The Wallabies needed to exert some early pressure but instead felt the brunt of the Springboks’ full force during the opening 40 minutes.
Defensively, however, Gordon was outstanding.
The Wallabies halfback was unfortunate not to be rewarded a penalty when he got on the ball following Kellaway’s last-ditched tackle on le Roux. He was rewarded shortly after with a breakdown steal in the 22nd minute with a penalty.
Ten minutes later, Gordon’s ball-and-all shot on Malcolm Marx near the Wallabies’ line denied the hooker a try.
Gordon’s clearing kick in the 45th minute following Lukhan Salakaia-Loto’s lineout steal showed the length he can get from the base of the ruck.
Harry Wilson – 5.5
Tried hard and didn’t stop fighting but Wilson couldn’t quite influence the game how he would have liked. It means he’ll face a fight to hold onto his starting spot next week.
The Wallabies back-rower was penalised in the ninth minute at the lineout. Moments later, Siya Kolisi dotted down for his opening try.
Later, in the second half, Wilson also couldn’t bring down Kwagga Smith close to his line after some crafty work from halfback Grant Williams to hold him back.
Carlo Tizzano – 4.5
The highlight of Tizzano’s debut was in the 46th minute when he continued a fine passage for the Wallabies to get on the ball and win a penalty.
But throughout the first half Tizzano struggled to influence the game.
There was a little bobble in attack in the 27th minute after a testing short ball from Matt Faessler. He later spilt another ball to end the first half.
A couple of minutes earlier, Tizzano was also pinged for being off his feet after Marx thumped Lolesio.
Rob Valetini – 7
One of the few players who looked like making a difference for the Wallabies on a testing afternoon in Brisbane.
Valetini led the way in attack and physically held his own on both sides of the ball.
His intercept in the 51st minute and toe ahead should have been a moment for the Wallabies to flex their muscle and fire a shot. It took another 20 minutes, and 14 points later, to land one though.
There was one knock-on in the 26th minute, too.
Nick Frost – 6
Tried hard and didn’t look out of place. Frost has grown throughout the international season to date. Whether he plays in Perth remains to be seen after copping a knock above his eye.
Kurt-Lee Arendse burned Allan Alaalatoa on the way to the tryline in the first half. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – 6.5
Two lineout steals in the second half (45th and 55th minutes) and physically matched the Boks.
Unfortunately, Salakaia-Loto didn’t have enough allies around him to help.
The Wallabies’ coaches will want to ensure their lineout throw operates with more precision though next week. That’s an area that falls on Salakaia-Loto.
Allan Alaalatoa – 3.5
Struggled at the set-piece and, under a world of pressure in defence, missed a couple of crucial tackles too.
Alaalatoa’s struggles were apparent early.
The Wallabies captain landed on the wrong side of the ruck in the eighth minute.
He then missed a tackle on Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the 19th minute. It should have resulted in a Springboks try but le Roux went himself.
Alaalatoa was penalised at the scrum in the 34th minute, before missing another crucial tackle on Arendse for the pocket rocket’s first try.
Matt Feassler – 5
A part of the Wallabies’ front-row that was well-beaten in the first half, Faessler had one lineout stolen in the 15th minute.
The Wallabies’ lineout did however operate well for the rest of the first half. The issue was the Wallabies didn’t do anything with the ball they had.
Isaac Kailea – 4
Dished up at the scrum in the opening stages, Kailea was shown what international rugby is all about.
Reserves
Josh Nasser – 4
Came on early in the second half, the Wallabies’ lineout struggled.
The killer moment was in the 48th minute as Nasser’s lineout was overthrown and the Springboks counted. Rubbing salt into the wound is that it came after three positive moments – Salakaia-Loto’s lineout steal into Gordon’s fine clearing box kick and then Tizzano’s breakdown steal first phase.
James Slipper – 4
Struggled at the set-piece and missed the tackle on Jesse Kriel ahead of Arendse’s second try.
Zane Nonggorr – 5
Didn’t do much wrong after coming on for Alaalatoa midway through the second half.
The replacement tight-head prop was likely helped by an ill-disciplined Springboks side in the final 15 minutes.
Jeremy Williams – 3.5
Gave away two penalties in as many minutes at the lineout shortly after coming on midway through the second half.
Luke Reimer – 4.5
Came on in the final quarter, the game was well and truly lost when Reimer, whose strength is at the defensive breakdown, entered the fray.
The debutant spilt the ball at the death to end the match like Tizzano did to end the first half.
Tate McDermott – 5.5
McDermott managed to inject some pace and tempo into the match after the Wallabies’ tactics and execution let them down during the opening 60 minutes.
Tom Lynagh – 5
Looked comfortable in the final quarter and landed a sideline conversion.
Did we learn much of Lynagh? Not especially given the sting was out of the game when he arrived but the blonde-haired playmaker didn’t put a step wrong either.
If anything, Lynagh should have demanded the ball and got it to his backline in the final stages given the Springboks lost three men to yellow cards in the final 15 minutes.
Dylan Pietsch – 5
Pietsch made a strong start after replacing Daugunu early by denying the Springboks a lineout after spectacularly leaping from outside the field of play to catch the ball.
But as the match went on, Pietsch’s desire to make an impact physically let him down as he spilt a ball in the 75th minute first phase from a scrum.