The Wallabies have plenty of soul searching to do after copping a 26-point thrashing in Brisbane.
Australia had no answers for the world champion Springboks, who scored five tries to one in a 33-7 lop-sided start to the 2024 Rugby Championship.
Tickets to the Wallabies home 2024 Test fixtures are available here.
Here's what we learnt:
Australia – class in now in session.
Wallabies fans may have been guilty of taking too much from a 3-0 July Series sweep as South Africa delivered a Saturday schooling to Joe Schmidt’s side at Suncorp Stadium.
Beating Wales and Georgia is one thing but Springboks are back-to-back world champions for a reason and it showed with the Bokke smashing Australia up, down and all across the paddock.
Three tries in an early 28-minute blitz effectively killed the contest before half time while the hosts’ ill-discipline bordered on criminal at times, conceding 17 penalties to cruel any shot at a comeback.
Any hesitations about young Sacha Feinberg Mngomezulu’s pedigree after an early penalty shank were put to bed by the full-time whistle.
The rookie playmaker was sublime in place of World Cup hero Handre Pollard, who wasn’t called upon at all during the five-try rout.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu constantly threatened the line, kicked smartly out of hand and slotted four of his five conversions to steer the Boks home in style.
On the other end of the experience spectrum but no less impactful was Pieter-Steph Du Toit, who filled in at lock for the injured RG Snyman with aplomb.
Du Toit’s defence was impeccable across the entire 80 minutes and the big man gave nothing away as South Africa’s scrum and lineout reigned supreme.
Joe Schmidt has plenty to chew through at the selection table ahead of next week’s rematch.
Carlo Tizzano was a rare shining light on debut with 21 tackles without missing and a token pilfer while Jake Gordon produced some clutch plays in defence and over the ball.
But there was little to like outside those two performers as the Wallaby set piece crumbled along with its discipline and attacking shape.
Noah Lolesio and Tom Wright were outkicked and outpointed by their opposites, Harry Wilson and Rob Valetini were well contained by the Boks' defence and the rookie front row trio of Isaac Kailea, Josh Nasser and Zane Nonggorr will need to chalk that scrum performance up as a lesson and move on.
It might not have been Australia’s day on the paddock but the suits certainly won’t mind the off-field performance.
A staggering 52,019 (admittedly heavy on the Bokke fans) packed out Suncorp Stadium - the biggest Wallabies crowd in Brisbane since 52,499 piled in to watch the 2013 British & Irish opener.
Brisbane's set a high bar for TRC home crowds moving forward and with at least 40,000 expected to pack out Optus Stadium for next week’s rematch in Perth, we could be witnessing a serious crowd resurgence.
Spare a thought also for Wallabies fans who were staring down the barrel of a 68-year low before Hunter Paisami's 75th minute try.
The Wallabies haven’t been held scoreless in Brisbane since the Boks beat them 9-0 at the old Exhibition Ground way back in 1956 - thanks for keeping Suncorp off the nudie run, Hunter.
The Wallabies weren't just battered on the scoreboard with Jeremy Williams, Filipo Daugunu, Nick Frost and Jake Gordon all copping heavy hits during the loss.
Frost was front and centre of the fray with a huge laceration above his eye among other beatings while Gordon was also split apart.
Daugunu will undergo scans after coming down heavily on his leg - we're set to know more by Monday - with Williams also under close watch.
Wallabies fans will be hopeful of a comeback Taniela Tupou to add some bulk while Fraser McReight and Liam Wright's return can't come soon enough.
Meanwhile, South African eyes are on RG Synman, who was replaced before kickoff with a foot concern.
