If there was any creeping feelings the Wallabies might have been over-savouring their stunning win over the Springboks at Ellis Park, they were more than nullified following the side’s opening presser on Sunday evening.
Echoing words spoken by head coach Joe Schmidt in the post-match presser in Johannesburg, Will Skelton and James O’Connor acknowledged that preparation for the second match in Cape Town had started the night after coming off the field.
The side took the time to rewatch the match and savour their achievement, but also immediately got stuck into what they could have done better.
“We enjoyed last night. Got around each other,” Skelton told reporters.
“Just the way the fight back there, like the first 20 was tough. Even watching it back was a lot to look at. But yeah, the end result, what a feeling, what a game and what a place to do that.
“A lot of the boys are already on to next week as well.
“Boys are reviewing, everyone's clipping stuff. We know what's going to come. They're going to go back to how they go.
“They're going to try and punch you in the face this week. So we're going to have to be ready, have a good week of preparation again and really fight.”
The result has provoked a stunned response from South African fans and coaching staff alike, marking the biggest loss under Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus since 2018.
Erasmus did not hide his frustration, admitting post game that this was “one of the most embarrassing press conferences I've done in a long time.
“I can butter this up and make excuses, but we were really dog***t today.”
Skelton and the Wallabies are expecting a ruthless response from the hosts in Cape Town, with the men in green producing similar responses to losses against Ireland, New Zealand, the British & Irish Lions and the Wallabies over the last five years.
Australia will also be without James Slipper (HIA) and Dylan Pietsch (jaw) with Rhys Van Nek and Filipo Daugunu called into the squad.
Ben Donaldson has also returned home with Western Force teammate Hamish Stewart taking his place.
“We take it game by game,” Skelton explained.
“We're on to that next moment and that's the next game in Cape Town. Obviously we enjoyed last night. We enjoyed getting that win, getting that W, but we're solely focused on our preparation leading into this week.
“We know how good of a team the Springboks are and you saw that, that first 20. 22-0 is a tough place to come back from and that might not be the same next week. It might be 40 minutes, they might have that fast start.
“So we're going to have to prepare as well as we can and really galvanise this week because we've got a few rough bodies, a few boys coming into camp too.
“So everything's going to be flying into our preparation to make sure we can put on a performance again.”
Having more time to reflect on the result, Skelton believed the fightback came more from the resilience and processes built up under Joe Schmidt - plus starting the against a hard Lions opposition.
“It definitely has been good throughout the Lions series as well,” Skelton said of the side’s resilience.
“We didn't have the best start against the Lions in the first test as well. We had that coming into this game, 22-0 under the posts.
“We stuck to the game plan. We stuck to the processes. We stuck in there and we fought to come back to where we got the game. I'm extremely proud of this group and how we fought.
“I think it [Schmidt’s approach] is pretty similar to every other coach that you have.
“Speaking about buy-in, every year everyone buys into whatever coach you have. I think maybe we've found something that works for us in terms of really nailing the basics.
“Joe's maxed out on the fundamentals, he's really hard on us and you can tell that by the time the game comes, we're playing free because we've done the work during the week.
“Whatever coach we have, you're playing for Australia, that's all the motivation you really need. I think you're always going to turn up in that jersey. I think the belief comes from as well.
“We've put the work in, we have a game plan we believe in and it's playing to a specific skill set that I believe suits the group.”
