Springboks produce powerful win over Wallabies in Brisbane

Sat, Aug 10, 2024, 5:50 AM
LW
by Lachlan Grey and Nathan Williamson
The Wallabies backrow combines for a great team try

The Springboks have outclassed the Wallabies 33-7 to open the Rugby Championship with a powerful win in Brisbane.

It was all the South Africans as the world champions delivered a masterclass in the first half to set up the victory.

Tickets for the 2024 Wallabies home Test season are available here.

They took a 21-0 lead into the break, with a double to Kurt-Lee Arendse delivering a statement for their first win at Suncorp since 2013.

“The scoreline is the scoreline but the performance is what we really ned to focus on and try to get a number of the elements more competitive," Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said.

“I thought most of the collision areas we struggled…They don’t give you a lot of breathing space, so was hard to find oxygen in the first half, particularly when we conceded eight or nine penalties and they didn’t.

“It just made it very tough work getting out of our half and when we did, we kicked the ball away a couple of times without kicking it accurately.

The Springboks worked some trickery early from the lineout with a double jumper system as Ben-Jason Dixon passed it back to Eben Etzebeth, allowing Siya Kolisi to barge over at the back of the maul.

It set up a dominant first half for the world champions as they controlled the contest against an Australian side working hard in defence but struggling with discipline.

Willie Le Roux had a golden opportunity to extend the lead when he turned down a two man overlap but was taken down by Andrew Kellaway as the Wallabies scramble defence stood up.

They didn’t have to wait long as Pieter-Steph Du Toit crashed over the line in the 24th minute.

The first half went from bad to worse when Kellaway was yellow-carded for a lifting tackle on Cobus Reinach.

Minutes later, Arendse sliced through the gap for a 21-0 lead at the break

The Australians came out in the second half and kept pressing the South African line through Dylan Pietsch and Rob Valetini.

But every attack was met by a green wall that proved impenetrable.

It allowed the Springboks to work their way back down the field slowly and replacement Kwagga Smith crashed over to extend the lead.

Arendse followed him over two minutes later to seal the win.

A yellow card to Malcolm Marx for collecting Valetini in the head followed by Marco van Staden for repeated infringements opened the game up for the Wallabies late.

With space in the defensive line, Hunter Paisami dived over untouched for a consolation try on a tough afternoon for the Wallabies.

Springboks 33 (TRIES: Arendse 2, Kolsi, Du Toit, Smith; CONS: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 4 def Wallabies 7 (TRIES: Paisami; CONS: Lynagh)

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WALLABIES v SPRINGBOKS TEAMS

Wallabies (15-1): Tom Wright; Andrew Kellaway, Len Ikitau, Hunter Paisami, Filipo Daugunu; Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon; Harry Wilson, Carlo Tizzano, Rob Valetini; Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Nick Frost, Allan Alaalatoa, Matt Faessler, Issac Kailea

Replacements: Josh Nasser, James Slipper, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Luke Reimer, Tate McDermott, Tom Lynagh, Dylan Pietsch

Springboks (15-1): Willie le Roux; Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse; Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach; Elrigh Louw, Ben-Jason Dixon, Siya Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche

Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Koch, Salmaan Moerat, Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith, Grant Williams, Handre Pollard

Referee: Luke Pearce

Assistant Referees: Paul Williams and Hollie Davidson

TMO: Ben Whitehouse

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