Summary
After Australia dominated in Adelaide, South Africa turned the tables in Sydney. Two contrasting results providing more questions than answers.
The Springboks were much-changed but the reshuffle worked. They sprinted out of the blocks and never relinquished the momentum. There were few highlights, but the most memorable was undoubtedly the arrival on the international scene of teenager Canan Moodie. His debut try, leaping over Marika Koroibete without a care in the world, will be replayed for years to come.
Around that moment of magic there was little else to rhapsodise about. Three yellow cards, endless turnovers, constant niggle, and innumerable witless kicks made for a scrappy spectacle on what should have been a banner night for the revamped Sydney Football Stadium.
As James Slipper commented post-match, the Wallabies never fired a shot. They were poor in all facets of the game, especially at the breakdown in possession, and Rennie’s 6-2 interchange split came unstuck with injuries to Noah Lolesio and Hunter Paisami.
Once again Australian supporters are left scratching their heads wondering who the real Wallabies are: the side thumped tonight and in Argentina, or the ones that flourished in Adelaide? What better way to find out than a Bledisloe double-header?
Join us back here on Thursday 15 September for the first instalment. Until then, thanks for joining me, and stay tuned for all the reaction and analysis.
Updated
The Bledisloe Cup now looms on the horizon and it isn’t going to be welcomed as gleefully by Australia as expected after today’s results.
