Rugby Championship: Five takeaways from Springboks v Wallabies ...

Following the Springboks’ 43-12 victory over the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship opener, here’s our takeaways from the game at Loftus Versfeld.

This was a demolition job, pure and simple. A Test that started so well for the new-look Wallabies simply unravelled for the next 75 minutes as the massive Springboks gave their visitors a lesson in pure pragmatic power rugby.

A Kurt-Lee Arendse hat-trick, one for the brilliant Pieter-Steph du Toit, and two penalty tries, one for a deliberate knock forward by Suliasi Vunivalu when Arendse seemed certain to score a fourth were just reward for the impressive South African performance and the only question that their coaches will be asking will be if they left a few more tries out there.

It was a masterclass of hallmark Springbok rugby; direct, fearless, dominant and physical – sometimes to the point of embarrassment for the underpowered Wallabies. For both teams, this was the first step on the road to their Rugby World Cup identity for 2023, and from what we’ve seen on Saturday, South Africa look sharper and more powerful than we’ve seen in the last three seasons, whilst Australia were close to failing to turn up, something that might surprise many in the game given the changes in their coaching staff.

Make no mistake – this was a performance of seismic proportions by the Boks – one that showed a new team emerging but one built upon their traditional values, sending a message to all that they’re coming to France to defend their crown.

Spend a moment in Eddie Jones‘ company, and you’ll soon learn that he believes gainline brutality is the single biggest influence on Test match results. However, it’s clear his pack haven’t been listening as attentively as they should as the Bok eight absolutely annihilated the Wallabies in contact, monstering their way through gold shirts like a runaway juggernaut, led by Jean Kleyn who had an impressive outing.

It wasn’t all about power either – Marvin Orie showed some wonderful touches in offload, whilst Marco van Staden was hugely influential with ball in hand. His interplay with Bongi Mbonambi and Arendse to send the latter over down the short side off a lineout was a delightful piece of both vision and execution from the openside flank.

???? What a try!

???????? The Springboks have been have been ruthless, and Kurt-Lee Arendse gets his second.#RSAvAUS #RugbyChampionship pic.twitter.com/sRiwCj7JTW

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) July 8, 2023

For the Boks to nullify players like the anonymous Will Skelton, a man that’s strode Europe like the Colossus of Rhodes for two seasons, says something about their sheer dominance.

Gainline dominance isn’t all about the pack either; Andre Esterhuizen made some thundering runs down the middle of the pitch and offered superb counterpoint to Lukhanyo Am’s blissful skillset in midfield.

Jones may be a self-confessed fan of ‘Bazball’, but on Saturday the only thing that will be ringing in his ears will be ‘Bok-Ball’.

The Wallabies only have three problems to solve. They have no set-piece, no breakdown or defensive presence and no power in attack. Maybe for 40 minutes, they showed some promise in ball in hand, with Nic White controlling things moving fluently from both nine and ten, but as far as midfield creation goes, you can have the best kick-and-chase game in the world, but if you’re losing every collision, then you won’t win many tier one Tests.

The scrummage will be a massive concern, something not unusual for the men in green and gold, but the simple truth is Australia have no other players to change their fortunes, other than the outstanding Taniela Tupou, so they simply have to be better.

It is key that Australia react and learn how to defend against sides like this; they looked to keep as many as they could on their feet and to keep width in their line, but that meant that the Boks profited with lightening quick ruck ball as the Wallabies failed to fire a real shot in breakdown or streetwise slowing, and with the number of heavy runners South Africa have, it simply was men against boys at times.

With unreal finishing from Arendse on the left wing now almost a given, the most pleasing thing for South Africa will be their speed in going forward and their willingness to use the width of the pitch.

Manie Libbok isn’t your normal Springbok fly-half, and there’s always going to be moments from him that will have even his most ardent fans put his head in his hands. But he brought spark and vision to this Bok side, a sense of daring and a willingness to strut his stuff and bring his players alongside him with his ambition.

As noted before, Van Staden was a revelation, but alongside him both veterans Du Toit and Duane Vermeulen looked back to their world-class best. As South Africa unloaded their bench, so every man who rumbled on took the game to a new level, with RG Snyman’s return in green a welcoming sight for all Bok fans and a worrying one for everyone else.

???????? Duane Vermeulen leading by example for the Springboks. #RSAvAUSpic.twitter.com/zDRKsGPan9

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) July 8, 2023

Was there any negatives? Perhaps the lineout wobbled a couple of times, and for the first 20 minutes, there was a period of bedding in whilst new combinations learned to use their weapons in anger. But other than that, this was a nine out of ten performance for the Springboks and one that they will look to build upon in this season’s Rugby Championship.

South Africa have their biggest test of all when they visit New Zealand next week, whilst the Wallabies will be delighted they have a home fixture against Los Pumas.

The Boks are now in the enviable position of tough selection calls, even at this stage in the tournament. Which pair of their three stellar locks starts, and what happens when the others get fit? How do you choose between Vincent Koch and Frans Malherbe on the tighthead? Does Esterhuizen keep his place? These are questions of a hugely positive nature and headaches coaches love to have.

For Jones, it’s a different picture. He needs to sort out almost every unit of his team; Quade Cooper isn’t the man to run a backline consistently at Test level. His scrummage got smashed even with Skelton as a tighthead lock, and his plan to make Tom Hooper into the Wallaby Courtney Lawes fell apart as his 30 minutes on the pitch saw the young flanker fail to make any form of impact into the match. But the simple truth is that these are the best players he has, give or take, and Jones now needs to do what he does best – put a tracksuit on and coach.

A week is a long time in rugby – the Wallabies need every moment of those seven days to galvanise this side from this showing to something more acceptable, otherwise, this could be a disastrous Rugby Championship for both Jones and Australia.

READ MORE: Kurt-Lee Arendse hat-trick powers Springboks past hapless Wallabies in Pretoria