That’s it from me. A strong warning from the Boks. Write them off if you like but they’ll cause some serious problems at the World Cup if they play like this. However, it must be said that the Wallabies were well short of where they need to be. Ciao.
Finally, the winning skipper, Duane Vermeulen:
I’m really proud of the boys. Tremendous performance.
We had our plans coming into the game. We didn’t know what to expect from Australia. We know that Eddie will have one or two things up his sleeve. We adapted well and played to our strengths.
We love you guys [he’s talking to the crowd].
And the losing captain, James Slipper:
There was an opportunity to come here and put in a performance we could be proud of. We defended the whole of the second half. You have to give credit to the Springboks. We’ll learn a lot from that.
Discipline, playing at the right end of the field. It was a tough start. But we’ve got a long year ahead of us.
We wanted to play our Wallaby game tonight. We didn’t deal with the pressure. We lost two players to the sin bit. In Test matches you need to be playing well in the set pieces and at the right end of the field.
It’s awesome [being back in South Africa]. Most of the young boys have never been here. We love coming here.
Here’s the player of the match, hat-trick hero, Kurt-Lee Arendse:
It was really special. The crowd was amazing. Just great to get the win.
We knew that the first 20 minutes would be tough. The forwards gave us momentum in the back. It’s always special to play at Loftus.
We prepared well for them. At the end of the day it was in our favour. I’m just grateful to play for my country.
Full-Time: South Africa 43-12 Australia
Well, that was one-sided. The Springboks – a much changed Springboks side, let’s not forget – were supreme. They bossed it up front, they were sharper out wide and the Aussies couldn’t match the ferocity around the fringes. The set piece was impressive, particularly the scrum that simply monstered the Wallaby pack. This was by no means a complete performance from the world champions but they were ominously good. Plenty to ponder for Eddie Jones.
Updated
TRY! South Africa 43-12 Australia (Gordan, 80)
They scored the first try of this game and now Australia score the last as well. A try on debut for Gordan after a chaotic few minutes. South Africa might have scored but a swift counter ends up at the other end. And that will be that.
78 mins: Australia manage to string a few passes down the line but they run out of room on thee right. The Boks are still chasing down them down, refusing to let them have a sniff.
50, 089 people in attendance. If you’re wondering.
TRY South Africa 43-5 Australia (PS du Toit, 76)
From short range, the Boks add another. They keep hammering at the door and soon it opens. PSDT dives over the ruck and dots down with ease. Dominance. Utter dominance. Libbok with the extras.
Updated
73 mins: Esterhuizen – who has been as good as he’s ever been in a Bok jersey – straightens off the base for a scrum and makes yards. He offloads in the tackle. It doesn’t come off but oh man, he’s been marvellous. There’s a scrum penalty so they go to the corner.
71 mins: A tasty backline move from the Boks after a solid scrum goes down the line. Willemse, on for le Roux, takes the ball at speed. But they can’t make it count despite the man advantage. PSDT kind of gets in the way. Australia let off the hook.
Penalty Try! South Africa 36-5 Australia (69)
Koroibete has been shown a yellow for illegally getting in the way of Arendse. Had the ball got to him he would have definitely scored. It did go forward. Rules are rules. Australia in the muck and must finish this match with 14 men.
69 mins: Wright prevents the try by getting ahead of a leaping Moodie in the corner. It got there via a cross-kick from Libbok with a penalty advantage. The scrum was good for the Boks. Williams picked it up when he might have let it go on a bit longer. His dart to the line was halted. The pass to Arendse was intercepted but was that a deliberate knock on? Could be a penalty try and a yellow card…
67 mins: Held up! PSDT drives from close range. He’s over the line but canb’t dot it down. Cooper hacks his drop out. It’s straight out on the full. Poor from Quade. South Africa will scrum five out.
65 mins: Another scrum penalty for the Boks. Williams, on for Reinach, picks and goes from the ruck and comes close. What a start that would have been. South Africa five out.
64 mins: Australia’s throw is skew. South Africa’s scrum. Call it now. This game is done as far as the Wallabies are concerned.
63 mins: Here comes the Bomb Squad! A full change in the front row for the Boks.
61 mins: McDermot is on for White. Valetini picks up and goes from the back of the scrum. They can’t make any headway so Cooper kicks but doesn’t find touch. Moodie with the goose step makes a yard. PSDT picks up and makes metres.
61 mins: PSDT at the back of the line-out means South Africa have quick ball. LEft then back right again. Moodie throws a wild pass back infield. PSDT charges into the maw but they can’t control it. Aussie scrum in their own 22.
60 mins: South Africa’s scrum eats Australia’s. Kitshoff and Malherbe basically running forward. Reinach kicks on the blindside but Moodie can’t get there in time. South Africa so much better in every facet.
59 mins: White is shaking his head but his team have been poor. That’s another sloppy error that ends in a knock on in midfield. South Africa with the scrum.
57 mins: Le Roux fields a high ball and Snyman – on as a substitute – busts through a tackle. Am Wriggles round a challenge but doesn’t go anywhere. They’ll go back for a penalty after another Aussie strays offside. They’ve been pretty poor today, it has to be said.
Updated
55 mins: No try! Libbok thought he’d had the easiest try after cantering over the line gut Pieter Steph du Toit knocked the ball on as he tackled Vunivalu. It started with a Bok line-out that was stolen so perhaps justice there. Would have been a very soft try.
55 mins: Vermeulen is taken out in the air so Australia cough up a soft penalty from the restart. It’s unravelling for Eddie’s boys.
Penalty Try! South Africa 29-5 Australia (54)
That would have been scored off the back of a rolling maul were it not for Porecki’s illegal intervention. So it’s a yellow card and seven points.
Yellow card! Australia (Porecki, 55)
Collapsing the maul and then preventing the try from being scored. Double whammy for the Aussie hooker who’s sent to the bin.
55 mins: SouthAfrica go short in the line-out and rumble forward. Have they managed to score? They’re over the line but did they dot it down?
53 mins: Classic Quade. That was a trademark cross-field kick, Aussie rules style. But South Africa have the penalty after another infringement. Le Roux taken out off the ball and Libbok nudges to the corner.
Hat-trick for Arendse! South Africa 22-5 Australia (50)
A try scoring machine! They’re checking for a forward pass from Am who off-loaded in the challenge. But I think it’s fine. Arendse has a lot of work still to do in the corner. He steps off his left foot and wriggles under a challenge. A superb score. His most difficult by far this evening.
Libbok is well wide with the conversion.
Updated
50 mins: Mbonambi over cooks the thro (that’s a problem to be honest). Cooper comes away with it. The clearing kick is long though so South African have the throw.
49 mins: Libbok kicks to the corner. My feeling is another rumbling maul.
48 mins: Vunivalu finally catches a high ball but he holds on for too long when he comes to ground. Van Staden with a tremendous tackle and Kitshoff over the ball.
45 mins: The line-out is good and a maul is set. It rumbles up 5, 10 metres. Orie splinters and keeps the ball but it’s lost at the back of a ruck. Pieter Steph du Toit the guilty party. He hasn’t quite been at his world beating best. A stray Aussie boot knocked it out of his grasp but that should have been more tightly secured.
44 mins: Vermeulen steamrolls a challenge from the base of a line-out. Kleyn with that win from the middle of the set piece. The ball is slowed down but recycled. Oh, but it’s stolen. Australia come away with it and clear with Vunivalu’s spiralling kick. Back where we started this move. Inside Australia’s 22 and Mbonambi with the throw.
43 mins: Cooper is rushed inside his own 22 after Arendse nudged a ball into the corner. The clearing kick doesn’t get past the 22. Boks with the ball at the line-out.
41 mins: So smooth from the line-out, the Boks set-piece is working. Esterhuizen then straightens and plays a delightful offload. But Moodie knocks on from a high ball – a tricky get but you’d hope he could grab that. Australia’s scrum in their own 22.
41 mins: White fields the kick-off and in a flash boots it out to the halfway line.
Libbok has the ball. We’re ready to get going.
Half-Time: South Africa 17-5 Australia
Hodge misses the long shot and they head into the shed. South Africa dominated that despite some sloppy errors. They’re full value for their lead though Australia landed a blow with Koroibete continuing his impressive scoring record against South Africa. But it’s not as impressive as Arendse’s bewildering tally. Eight tries in seven Tests. Australia need to sharpen up. They’re getting bossed up front. Back in a few.
40+1 mins: Australia have a chance to score out wide but the pass is forward. They’re not happy. Hooper is grumpy with that call. But they have the advantage. Hodge is lining this up from 60m (on the angle). Will be a heck of a kick if he gets it.
39 mins: South Africa maul from the line-out. Reinach feeds Esterhuizen who bulldozes over the gainline. Le Roux has to mop up. Back to the halfway line. Am puts in a perfectly weighted chip that Arendse gathers under pressure. Kitshoff on the ground spills his pass. So close to being a worldie move.
38 mins: Arendse does extremely well to win a high ball against Vunivalu. The Aussies infringe on the ground so SA have a clearing penalty.
37 mins: Cooper upends du Toit. You don’t see that every day. Le Roux’s kick skews off his boot. He’s been hot and cold off the boot. Australia’s ball.
35 mins: Vermeulen charges over the gainline after another well-worked line-out. Reinach runs round a corner but a strong counter ruck from the Aussies has Slipper come up with the ball close to his own line. He kicks – like a prop – and SA have the line-out.
34 mins: Australia need to get a grip. Vunivalu takes out a jumper in the air and coughs up a soft penalty.
33 mins: The Springboks are cooking. Esterhuizen straightens after le Roux joins the line at second receiver. He kicks forward to take even more territory from the Wallabies.
TRY! South Africa 17-5 Australia (Arendse, 30)
Sublime! Arendse with another one! Orie reaches at the middle of the line-out and brings it down. Van Staden splinters off the gathering maul and plays Mbonambi who steps in before playing a perfectly weighted ball to Arendse looping round the blindside. Vunivalu can’t catch him and the Boks are taking firm control.
Libbok, now purring off the tee, nails the touchline conversion.
Updated
29 mins: Libbok turning it on. The scrum is good and the ball shifts down the line. Right then left. Libbok central to it all. Esterhuizen steps a tackler and grubbers forward. PS du Toit has it before he runs over someone in the 22 but the support doesn’t help in time and Australia can ragther and clear.
28 mins: Wright kicks again. They may be overdoing that. Hooper carried well into contact and Australia had good ball inside South African territory on the right with men gathering to the right. Until Wright kicked into a crowded area and the ball is eventually spilled by a Wallaby. Scrum to South Africa.
27 mins: Moodie drops a high ball. That’s usually his bread and butter. White put that into the stratosphere but he wasn’t competing with any other jumper. Vermeulen scurries back to dot down behind the line after another Australian kick.
26 mins: Libbok does extremely well under pressure near his own line. The Aussies were all over him and he flung an inch perfect pass to le Roux who cleared.
25 mins: Hodge has missed a sitter. Well, maybe not quite a sitter but that was bang in front and he shunted it wide. 40m out. Should have nailed it.
24 mins: White box kicks to Moodie who counters. He’s having a good game. A ruck forms and it ends with an Australian penalty. No surprise that Hooper comes up with the ball. He’s a menace at the breakdown.
23 mins: Australia move the ball well from the line-out. Skelton gets involved in a big carry. Vunivalu steps Arendse but the Springboks manage to win the ball back thanks to a poor knock-on from Ala’alatoa.
22 mins: Libbok spirals a kick that skews off his boot. That was rushed under no pressure. He had the chance to clear thanks to vermeulen’s bursting run off the back of a reduced line-out.
21 mins: White gets the ball swiftly from the back of the scrum and hoofs a grubber to the corner. Excellent kick. Mbonambi must now throw on the 5m line.
20 mins: The Mexican Wave cascades around the ground. Trust me, that’s not a sign that they’re bored. In SA that generall means the opposite.
18 mins: Reinach plays a delicious pop pass to Libbok on his right shoulder and the fly-half is cruising down field. He has Moodie out wide but opts to take it further. Wright comes up from fullback and makes a big tackle. The ball pops out and Australia hoof it up. Mbonambi makes a mess of the throw from the line-out. Scrum to Australia.
TRY! South Africa 10-5 Australia (Arendse, 16)
That’s seven tries seven games for the nippy winger. It started on the other wing with Moddie stepping off his right foot to create space. The ball moves down the line but it’s not exactly clean. Still, the Boks have numbers and a short pass from Esterhuizen finds Arendse without anyone in front of him. He simply has to catch, take a few steps and dot down.
Libbok slots the conversion.
Updated
15 mins: Am does well to wriggle out of a tight space. Libbok floats one wide to Arendse before Orie burrows down. Le Roux pops up in the line. Van Staden straightens and makes metres. Better from the Boks.
Penalty! South Africa 3-5 Australia (Libbok, 13)
No problems from the 22. Libbok gets his team on the board.
12 mins: Libbok will line this up from bang in front. Surely he won’t miss from here.
12 mins: The Boks monster that scrum and move the ball down the line but it gets messy quickly. Not sharp enough in the back there. Reinach tidies up and le Roux sends it down the open side. There’s a penalty call. Offside from earlier.
9 mins: White knocks on after the restart so South Africa have the feed to the first scrum just outside the 22. They need a response here.
TRY! South Africa 0-5 Australia (Koroibete, 8)
First blood to the Aussies! Koroibete dots down his sixth score against South Africa. Kleyn stole the line-out but the knock down is snaffled by Alaalatoa. It moves down the line with Ikitau showing swift hands. It finds its way to the speedy winger who burns down the flank. Slick.
7 mins: My mistake. Australia ball. It goes to the middle but they kick immediately. Le Roux returns the favour and we’re back where we started at halfway. Bit of a stodgy opening here.
6 mins: Tight exchanges end with the Boks kicking from the back field. A strong chase from Esterhuizen puts pressure on Wright. Boks ball from the line-out just inside Australia’s half.
4 mins: Le Roux chips straight out so Australia have the ball inside SA territory. But they’re wasteful off the boot and Le Roux can field the mark. He reads the space so well.
3 mins: Libbok misses the penalty. Doesn’t have the legs from just inside the half way line. That won’t help his confidence.
2 mins: Libbok skews one off his boot. Aussie line-out on halfway line. Valetini carries well through the middle. But Van Staden steals the ball and wins a penalty. Slick from the Boks back rower.
PEEEEEEP! Cooper kicks off. Boks in green. Wallabies in gold. Le Roux clears from his 22 into Auxtralian territory.
The anthems are done. The Zulu dancers have finished brandishing their spears (really) and we’re ready to go!
You’d have to be pretty brave to don a golden jumper in Pretoria today.
Where the Wallaby fans? @TheRoarSports @BMcSport pic.twitter.com/VLPMbQpfch
— Harry Jones (@haribaldijones) July 8, 2023
The storm is gathering! I don’t mean the clouds in Leeds that have halted the cricket. I mean a cacophony of noise and chaos that is a packed Loftus. I’ve been there when the Boks are in town and let me tell you, there aren’t many rugby grounds in the world that are as hostile to the opposition. The Wallabies will be entering a cauldron.
Eddie Jones (far left) in his favourite spot. Watching opponents like a hawk. Aus players all in sheds ready to head out. Crowd is rocking 🇦🇺🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/Orb2chpAr2
— Tom Decent (@tomdecent) July 8, 2023
Fancy a bit of prematch reading? Gerard Meagher has been busy with the England team as they look to distance themselves from Jones, contemplate a Bazball ethos and find room for one of the most destructive runners in the game:
The Wallabies have never won at Loftus. If Eddie Jones wants to start his tenure on a positive note he’ll have to do something that no Australian coach has done before.
In seven previous meetings here, the Boks have won all of them. Their most recent clash was was in 2016 and settled by a 18-10 scoreline. Four years before that the Boks routed the Aussies 31-8 and two years before that it was a high scoring affair that the South Africans claimed 44-31.
In 2005 it was 22-16 but 2001 was much tighter. South Africa pipped that 20-15.
The largest deficit came in the 1997 Tri-nations with Gary Teichman’s team hammering the Wallabies 61-22. Back in 1963 South Africa won by a score of 14-3.
Does any of that matter today? We’ll soon find out.
Want to sing along with the anthems? Well, if that’s your thing, here are the words:
I do like a good matchday programme, and this is a very good one.
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) July 8, 2023
I also like the anthems being included. https://t.co/AweCW8XrZH pic.twitter.com/LwYGJY7Ibw
What does this match mean to Springboks and Wallabies fans? It’s a question I’ve been wondering for some time. As a South African myself (we’re all friends here, no need for secrets and I promise to be unbiased) I always had great respect for Australian rugby. I grew up on Gregan, Larkham, Eales and Burke. I loved to hate them.
Has this rivalry dissipated? Can it ever rediscover it’s spark? I penned a little something last year that I think is still relevant. So, if you fancy…
Eddie’s first side is bursting with potential
I’m not saying the Wallabies are going to win the World Cup. But I tell you what, with this team, with Eddie Jones at the wheel, and with a favourable draw placing them on the easier road to the final, well, stranger things have happened, right?
First they need to prove they can mix it with the big boys and the Boks are as big as they come. Captains Hooper and Slipper (there are two skippers, don’t ask me why) add nous to a pack bolstered by the heft of Ala’alatoa and Skelton. Cooper has a slick backline to work with and watch out for Kerevi off the bench.
Talk is cheap. Eddie, a master of the gab, knows this. Here is where he’ll earn his wedge.
Wallabies: Wright; Vunivalu, Ikitau, Hodge, Koroibete; Cooper, White; Slipper (c), Porecki, Ala’alatoa, Frost, Skelton, T Hooper, M Hooper (c), Valetini.
Substitutes: Uelese, Gibbon, Nonggorr, Arnold, Samu, McDermott, Kerevi, Gordan.
Our first match day 23 of the year is locked in! 💪
— Wallabies (@wallabies) July 8, 2023
Here's how we'll line up against the Springboks tonight!
⏰ Sun 9 Jul 1:05am AEST
🏟 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
📺 @StanSportAU#RSAvAUS #Wallabies #TRC pic.twitter.com/8Gi0h75xvW
Updated
New-look Boks out to increase depth
There may be a few names unfamiliar to the casual fan with a few first stringers send to New Zealand prematurely, but this is still a formidable match-day 23.
For starters, that backline is tantalising. Libbok at 10 has been a revelation for the Stormers and Am is perhgaps the most creative 13 on the planet (if he’s fully fit). Le Roux will control things in the back field as zippy wingers provide pace out wide.
Orie and Kleyn were two of the top tacklers in the URC but Test rugby is a step up. One change to the team you’ll see on Twitter. Nche misses out and is replaced by Kitshoff in the front row. The Boks, as usual, go with a 6-2 split on the bench.
Springboks: Le Roux; Moodie, Am, Esterhuizen, Arendse; Reinach, Libbok; Kitshoff, Bnomambi, Malherbe, Kleyn, Orie, Van Staden, PS du Toit, Vermeulen (c)
Substitutes: Dweba, T du Toit, Koch, Snyman, Roos, Fourie, Williams, Willemse.
BREAKING! Duane Vermeulen will lead the #Springboks against Australia in Pretoria on Saturday - team announcement: https://t.co/MBDNYgjRHs 💥#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/SEbIdaiamP
— Springboks (@Springboks) July 4, 2023
Preamble
Oh yes. Now it begins. There are 61 days to go until the World Cup in France but today feels like the first day we can crack open the advent calendar. Look behind the cardboard door and what’s behind? Only a clash between Eddie Jones’ Wallabies and a Springboks outfit with a point to prove.
Eddie’s named arguably the most impressive Australian 23 for a decade. There are four debutants – Tom Hooper in the back row along with Zane Nonggorr, Richie Arnold and Carter Gordan on the bench. But all eyes – at least the two in my head – will be fixed on Will Skelton in the second row. He’s been immense for La Rochelle and is now firmly fixed back where he belongs at the heart of the Wallabies pack.
I can’t wait to see how he gets on against a Springbok lock duo that needs a proper test. Marvin Orie has the faith of the Springboks coaching staff but the jury is still out as far as he’s concerned. He’s partnered by Jean Kleyn who has Test expereince, but that was with Ireland. He makes his first appearance for South Africa today.
There are plenty of other talking points across the pitch. The young hotshot wearing 10 for the Boks, Manie Libbok, goes up against the veteran Quade Cooper. Lukhanyo Am returns to midfield for the world champions and Marika Koroibete will be keen to show he’s still one of the most dangerous wingers on the planet after missing the tour of Europe.
I’m buzzing for this. The Boks are in a spanking new kit and the Wallabies will be pretty in gold. This is one of the iconic fixtures in our sport and it’s taking place in one of the game’s fortresses. Loftus will be rocking and filled with the smell and smoke of a thousand braais. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Kick off at 4:05pm BST/ 5.05pm SAST/1.05am AEST.
Updated
