Key events
Half-time: South Africa 22-5 Australia
The ball is spilled in the line-out and White kicks it out.
That brings an end to a one-sided half that looked like being a lot worse for the Wallabies when Kolisi scored his team’s third try after just 18 minutes. The Springboks were imperious before the Wallabies fought back and bagged a try of their own.
The tourists have a mountain to climb, but thanks to swift work at the breakdown and some fight in patches, they can at least see the summit.
Back in a bit.
40 min: South Africa’s pack consumes the Wallabies in the scrum. They get the advantage and spiral the ball down the line. Fassi joins from fullback and stands up a tackler before off-loading. He can’t stitch the move together. Kriel mops up and straightens the attack but it goes nowhere. They come back for the penalty which Libbok nudges a little closer to the corner.
38 min: Frost nips in and wins a South African throw. O’Connor then gathers and launches a monster kick. It bounces. And keeps bouncing. And keeps bouncing until it goes out of play at the far end of the pitch. That’s so unlucky because it means South Africa will get the scrum from where O’Connor kicked it, which is just beyond the Aussie 22 with a short blind on the right.
36 min: Ten phases and the Boks come within inches of the Australian line. Libbok and Williams were made to work swiftly thanks to aggressive Wallaby defence, but brilliant play from Etzebeth, Esterhuizen and du Toit, as well as Kolisi who has been hovering in space in the tram all game, means the Boks make metres. Things fray at the seams eventually before Libbok floats a wide pass right. Kolisi charges and feeds Esterhuisen who is isolated a metre short. Wright and Ikitau make the hit and win the ball back. There’s a penalty call – holding on I think, actually, no idea – and O’Connor can hoof it long.
South Africa have been really good through the phases. They look menacing the longer these moves stretch on. No dice this time, though.
33 min: Really good from Australia. Penalty kick becomes a line-out which becomes a break down the line. Jorgensen, off his wing, found Kellaway in the left tram with a floater. He burst down upfield and nudged ahead for Ikitau. Arendse had to scamper across and clean up. Luckily for the Boks, the kick bobbled over the try-line so Arendse could fall on it and win back possession. After the early blitz the Wallabies have grown into the contest.
31 min: After scoring the try, Australia show composure and exit well. A long kick pins the Boks back. But they’re upfield once more thanks to Kolisi gathering a Marx line-out over the top. Ezterhuizen is now on the charge, carrying Ikitau on his back as he motors through the gears.
Pietsch cops a Kolisi shoulder to the face. This could be a broken jaw. He’s been replaced by Kellaway. It wasn’t illegal, just the sudden change of direction which meant the Aussie winger was in a bad position to make the tackle.
Australia do get a penalty, though, after an obstruction call following the Ezterhuizen break.
TRY! South Africa 22-5 Australia (Pietsch, 29)
That’s much better from the Wallabies! They had the advantage, yet again winning a penalty as a Bok strayed off side. They kept it in the hands before Ikitau stood up a tackler in front of him and created space to his left. The ball just needed to go down the hands, which it did, and find Pietsch. The winger with the shaved head had a simple run to the corner, though O’Connor couldn’t convert from out wide.
27 min: A fourth breakdown penalty goes Australia’s way. First Jorgensen plucked a high kick in the right tram and off-loaded back infield. He couldn’t find a mate and Marx grabbed the loose ball. But the South African hooker was isolated and picked off on the ground. Australia have to make this territory count as they go for another line-out in the Boks 22.
24 min: Another penalty on the ground for the Wallabies. That is one area where they’re at least holding their own. Three breakdown penalties in a row going their way. O’Connor kicks long again and this time SA don’t challenge in the air. A little kick ahead from White makes life difficult for the covering defence under their own poles but van der Merwe was across from right win to mop up. Great cover. They eventually secure the ball and Libbok nails a spiralling kick with his apparent weaker foot, finding touch on halfway from his own try-line.
23 min: Solid work from the Boks. Stiff scrum despite the second shove from the Wallabies. A couple of big carries – from Esterhuizen and Nche – before a Williams raking box kick towards halfway. That is a slick exit.
22 min: Pollard throws skew! How frustrating. Etzebeth jumps up to make it a contest which means the throw has to be straight. It’s not. So it;s a scrum to the Boks.
21 min: Australia get a penalty in front of the posts just outside the SA 22. Skelton around the corner attracted three tacklers and one of them strayed off-side after not rolling away. That was more like it from Australia with Ikitau also involved. O’Connor nudges this penalty towards the corner. No choice but to go for it.
20 min: Suaalii has a bloody nose, embodying the battering his team has copped so far. But McReight is holding his own and comes up with another steal on the ground. The visitors need to get a grip here. O’Connor bangs a long touch finder. They need a solid attacking set from this line-out.
TRY! South Africa 22-0 Australia (Kolisi, 18)
Just relentless. Even after McReight stole the ball the Boks kept hammering the line. They’re insatiable this afternoon. The intensity is just insane as wave after wave of green carriers crash over gold tacklers. Arendse, then Etzebeth and then Kolisi with the finishing touches right under the poles. Nothing intricate to analyse there/. It’s just raw power from the Boks skipper. Libbok slots it over from bang in front.
18 min: McReight makes a huge steal on the ground after 10 South African phases. But the Boks have it back, the Wallaby didn’t have any support. It’s a little scrappy as Libbok flings a pass left. Arendse picks up the bouncing ball. There’s a penalty advantage of a high tackle…
16 min: Australia can’t get over the gainline. Skelton and then Wilson are hammered in contact. O’Connor has no choice but to go to the boot, raking a grubber towards the South African 22. It’s a good kick that puts the home team under pressure.
Etzebeth wins the line-out and then Arendse beats Jorgensen in the air so SA have it on halfway. Kolisi finds Fassi. Kriel gets past the gainline. Nche rumbles over Tupou. The supporting cast at the clear-out is effective. They continue make progress and a strong drive from van Staden has them up to the 22.
TRY! South Africa 15-0 Australia (Esterhuizen, 13)
Stunning from the Springboks! And that’s Esterhuizen’s first try for his country. And what a try. Coast to coast, Kriel found an edge and slipped a tackle down the right, beating White who couldn’t lay a glove on him. Kriel passed inside for the supporting du Toit who then fed Esterhuizen looping round from midfield with an off-load. Just so slick from the world champions. Australia can’t live with them at the moment.
Libbok hits the post so can’t add the extras.
11 min: Back and forth! Pietsch knocks on after winning the ball in the air. The Boks don’t capitalise and Fassi makes an aimless kick straight to Wright. O’Connor is smoked in midfield and spills the ball. Marx hacks it ahead where van der Merwe gathers and runs down the right tram. Pietsch scampers back and makes a great recover tackle, nudging the Boks winger out of touch. A breathless passage ends with a Wallaby throw and White hoofing it long.
Penalty! South Africa 10-0 Australia (Libbok, 10)
Easy swing of the right boot and it’s over. He’s had his problems from the tee but that’s two from two for Manie.
7 min: The Aussie scrum holds and they manage to get the ball up to the edge of the 22 with a strong carry. White clears with a lengthy box that finds touch just inside his own half. Australia then pinch the line-out. Esterhuizen lands a big blow in midfield so kills momentum before Marx makes amends with a well-timed steal on the ground after thumping Wilson with a tackle. Penalty to South Africa about 40 metres out and right in front of the poles.
South Africa are bossing this.
6 min: Grant Williams has the ball on a string. From the line-out he boxes and finds Etzebeth who was always going to win the ball in the air. The Williams dinks a kick to the corner and finds Arendse who runs straight and hard at Jorgensen. The Aussie makes the tackle and also forces the knock on. Wallabies scrum in their own 22 all the way on their right.
5 min: Australia secure the line-out. They go right then back down the blind on the left. Ikitau dinks a kick that finds ground inside the Boks 22. Van der Merwe mops up and dopes well to wriggle under the tackle of Pietsch and is tackled high. So it’ll be a relieving penalty for South Africa inside their own patch.
4 min: A similar kick-off for the Wallabies is fielded by de Jager. The Boks keep the ball until Fassi overcooks a kick. The Wallabies get the line-out inside SA territory.
TRY! South Africa 7-0 Australia (Arendse, 2)
What a start for the Springboks! It started with Wright fumbling a Williams box kick and then it was all momentum. Just about every player was involved. Du Toit, Kolisi and more had strong carries until the cracks opened. Fassie joined from fullback to play the final pass to his left where Arendse had a simple run in. That move went several phases and 70 metres.
Libbok nails the conversion from the left.
1 min: De Jager takes the kick-off. Wright spills a box kick so the Boks attack with Libbok to Kriel down the right. Van der Merwe makes room off the right wing and the Boks are upfield. Kolisi has a stroing carry. They’re up to the Wallabies 22 with du Toiut charging…
The anthems are done. The team talks are over. The referee Ben O’Keefe has the whistle in his mouth.
Let’s play!
The Impis are making their appearance.
Want to learn more about the Zulu warriors?
The live coverage has started on Sky, picking up the South African broadcast from SuperSport.
Matt Pearce has highlighted the bench splits with the Wallabies going 6-2 and the Boks going 5-3. What is this, Freaky Friday?
Australia are looking for their first win in Johannesburg since 1963.
They have an aggregate score of 201-107 against in the City of Gold from their six games there in the professional era. Their most recent visit ended with a 35-17 defeat in the first round of the 2019 Championship.
Incidentally, the Boks had the same midfield combo that game, had the same second row combo , played an attacking fly-half (Elton Jantjies) and had Cobus Reinach coming off the bench alongside two other backs.
Hey, if it ain’t broke.
It’s easy to forget that the Wallabies were in the doldrums back in September 2023.
The pasting they received at the hands of Fiji at the World Cup meant they failed to get out of their group. Eddie Jones inevitably got the sack and there were questions over whether the code had a future at all.
This redemption narrative isn’t complete, but it’s on track.
The team is on the up. Fans are returning. Interesting is rising. The Rugby Championship is another opportunity to keep the fire burning.
Wallabies team
The 35-year-old James O’Connor has been picked at at fly-half, playing his first game for Australia in three years.
If the veteran can get the ball out wide the Aussies will be in business with the combative Dylan Pietsch and the slippery Max Jorgensen waiting in the trams.
First, O’Connor will need front foot ball and here is where the game will be won and lost. The back row of skipper Harry Wilso, Tom Hooper and Fraser McReight will need to boss their sphere of influence. Keep an eye out for the cameo of Langi Gleeson off the bench.
Wallabies: 1 – Slipper, 2 – Pollard, 3 – Tupou, 4 – Frost, 5 – Skelton, 6 – Hooper, 7 – McReight, 8 – Wilson (c); 9 – White, 10 – O’Connor; 11 – Pietsch, 12 – Ikitau, 13 – Suaalii, 14 – Jorgensen; 15 – Wright.
Replacements: 16 – Paenga-Amosa, 17 – Bell, 18 – Nonggorr, 19 – Williams, 20 – Gleeson, 21 – Champion de Crespigny, 22 – McDermott, 23 – Kellaway.
Springboks team
Rassie Erasmus named his team on Monday and it’s one that promises loads of running.
Manie Libbok at fly-half will be keen to let the ball sing and has a freewheeling scrum-half inside him in Grant Williams, arguably the fastest man among the 46 involved today.
Siya Kolisi plays at No. 8 and there are five forwards and three backs on the bench, a departure from the Bomb Squad tactic that has brought so much success over the past six years.
Eben Etzebeth’s battle with Will Skelton in the tight exchanges could swing the contest.
Springboks: 1 – Nche, 2 – Marx, 3 – Louw, 4 – Etzebeth, 5 – de Jager, 6 – van Staden, 7 – du Toit, 8 – Kolisi (c); 9 – Williams, 10 – Libbok; 11 – Arendse, 12 – Esterhuizen, 13 – Kriel, 14 – van der Merwe; 15 Fassi.
Replacements: 16 – Mbonambi, 17 – Wessels, 18 – Ntlabakanye, 19 – Mostert, 20 – Smith, 21 – Reinach, 22 – Moodie, 23 – Willemse.
Preamble
Daniel Gallan
There’s a saying in cricket that you can’t judge a pitch until both sides have had a bat.
Here’s my equivalent for rugby: You can’t judge the power of a pack until it’s gone toe to toe with the Springboks.
The Wallabies might have lost the series against the British & Irish Lions, but some of their big boys left with reputations enhanced. Will Skelton, Rob Valetini, Taniela Tupou, Nick Frost, Tom Hooper, Langi Gleeson; where there were concerns about the Aussies ability to mix it with big boys there’s now confidence in the tall timber.
Well, let’s see how hard they really are. Because bullying the Lions is one thing. Standing firm against the double world champions on their own patch is something else entirely.
They’ll have to do it without Valetini, for my money the most destructive loose forward in the world (Pieter-Steph du Toit fans, I said ‘destructive’, not ‘best’). But, with six forwards on the bench compared to the Boks’ five in reserve, Joe Schmidt still has enough to cause a seismic upset. Or does he?
We’ll find out in a bit when the old frenemies lock horns at the Home of Rugby that is Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
Get in touch if you want to share something with the group. Reckon the Wallabies have the requisite meat? Will the Boks razzle-dazzle with a zippy backline? Want to pull me up on anything I’ve said already? My door is open.
Kick-off at 4:10 pm local time, 0:10 am AEST.
Teams and other bits to come.
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