Joe Schmidt’s Australia honeymoon over after South Africa humbling

Australia 7 South Africa 33

South Africa produced a clinic in Brisbane, securing their first win there in over a decade with a blend of power up front and a new emphasis on cutting teams open out wide. Joe Schmidt’s honeymoon as Australia head coach is certainly over ahead of the rematch in Perth next weekend.

The Springboks suffocated Australia early on through their kicking game and by the time Kwagga Smith and Kurt-Lee Arendse crossed within two minutes of each other in the second half, the only question was whether it would be a historic thrashing. In the end, South Africa fell short of their record win over the Wallabies (53-8 in 2008) and Australia avoided being whitewashed by South Africa for the first time since 1956, but make no mistake, the gulf in class felt enormous.

“They’re an incredibly powerful side, an experienced side and, they won that physical battle today. Their breakdown was really strong and they dominated possession and territory in that first half, which saps the strength out of the boys a little bit,” Australia coach Schmidt said.

“It would have been great to get a little bit more out of the game, but we’ve got a benchmark and it wasn’t a massive shock to us as to where the Springboks would be and it’s somewhere that we’re gonna have to build towards.”

This evolving South Africa side were previously enjoyable to watch if you enjoyed scrums and mauls, but now offer up fun for all the family. There was more balance to their approach than we saw in the series against Ireland, when occasionally they tipped too far towards playing out wide. Here, South Africa could bully Australia through their scrum – winning at least five penalties and forcing scrum-half Jake Gordon to whip the ball in and out of each Australian put-in as quickly as possible – while also using their maul to win successive penalties and produce the opening try for Siya Kolisi.

“We said as a group this is a big game for us to win, I am proud of the boys,” Kolisi said. “We stuck to what we planned in the week, we are a learning team.”

It’s the width and dummy runners added to their passing game which have made the Springboks more entertaining, with Eben Etzebeth frequently found marauding out on the wing. South Africa now have multiple ways to kill off opponents if they can get on the front foot at the breakdown and over the gain line, as they did here comfortably. The attack was so precise and effective that it paved the way for long-range tries for Pieter-Steph du Toit and Kurt-Lee Arendse.

In Arendse they have more of a magician than a winger. His score at the end of the first half was truly out of nothing; covering back to pick up a loose ball, before slipping past three Wallaby tacklers (with the help of some legal blocking) to find the space and dart over to make it 21-0.

Australia could hardly argue with the scoreline at that point, down to 14 at the time after Andrew Kellaway’s yellow card for lifting Cobus Reinach in the tackle. You will not see a more clear-cut domination of the kicking game all year than the way South Africa controlled that area in the first half, never letting Australia escape with South Africa’s possession and territory hovering around 65 per cent. Jake Gordon and Noah Lolesio, Australia’s half-backs, could not ease the pressure on their defence and the Wallabies were second-best in the air. With no set-piece platform, no kicking game and therefore no territory and possession, there is no way you are ever going to win Test rugby.

Improving those areas along with Australia’s physicality, with Ireland having recently shown in Durban that if you match South Africa in the power game they are fallible, are immediate priorities heading into next week’s Test. The Wallabies missed their best scrummager, with Taniela Tupou not selected following the death of his father this week, while Rob Valetini carried tirelessly and was seemingly the only runner who could create any momentum.

There were nice touches from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at fly-half on his first start, including one break in the first half which Willie le Roux made a mess of by failing to supply the final pass for a score, and the young No 10 looks full of ideas and confidence. An early shank off the kicking tee was an afterthought, although in fairness he had an armchair ride behind a completely dominant pack, in which Elrigh Louw at No 8 – also making his first start – had some decent touches with ball in hand. There are far sterner Tests to come for Feinberg-Mngomezulu but the potential is fascinating.

Rassie Erasmus will not have been thrilled with three second-half yellow cards, even if South Africa were cruising at 33-0, but those are nice problems to have. South Africa have not won the full six-game version of the Rugby Championship since 2009, and the schedule this year, with two home games against New Zealand, plays into their favour. Banishing their record in Brisbane and winning with a bonus point was an ideal start.

Match details

Scoring sequence: 0-5 Kolisi try, 0-7 Feinberg-Mngomezulu con, 0-12 Du Toit try, 0-14 Feinberg-Mngomezulu con, 0-19 Arendse try, 0-21 Feinberg-Mngomezulu con, 0-26 Smith try, 0-28 Feinberg-Mngomezulu con, 0-33 Arendse try, 5-33 Paisami try, 7-33 Lynagh con

Australia: T Wright; A Kellaway, L Ikitau, H Paisami, F Daugunu (D Pietsch 25); N Lolesio (T Lynagh 62), J Gordon (T McDermott 58); I Kailea ( J Slipper 40), M Faessler (J Nasser 40), A Alaalatoa (c, Z Nonggorr 58), N Frost (J Williams 54), L Salakaia-Loto, R Valetini, C Tizzano (L Reimer 62), H Wilson.
Yellow card: Kellaway 29.
South Africa: W le Roux; C Kolbe, J Kriel, D de Allende (H Pollard 64), K Arendse; S Feinberg-Mngomezulu, C Reinach (G Williams 51); O Nche (G Steenekamp 53), B Mbonambi (M Marx 27), F Malherbe (V Koch 53), E Etzebeth (S Moerat 53), P du Toit, S Kolisi (c, K Smith 56), 7 B Dixon, E Louw (M van Staden 56).
Yellow cards: Marx 66, Van Staden 71, Kriel 78.
Referee: L Pearce (England).

Australia v South Africa: As it happened . . .

07:43 AM BST

FULL-TIME: Australia 7-33 South Africa

South Africa win in Brisbane for the first time since 2013. The damage was done in the first half really, Australia looked bereft of confidence.

Excellent physicality and threat out wide from the Springboks before they took their foot off the gas, the one-two punch of those Kwagga Smith and Kurt-Lee Arendse tries in the second half finished the game off. Nice flourishes from Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Louw on their first starts.

Heaps for Australia to work on. Just mountains of improvements.

07:40 AM BST

80 mins - Australia 7-33 South Africa

Wallabies overplay again and get pinged at the breakdown. Not sure why they attacked down the blindside there given they have a two-player advantage and didn’t go for the space.

That could be game over but South Africa miss touch - I think, unless that’s what they were going for - so Australia try to counter. It’s knocked on, and that’s the game.

07:38 AM BST

78 mins - Australia 7-33 South Africa

Can it get even better for the Wallabies, you wonder. Another yellow card, this time for Kriel for a deliberate knock-on. South Africa just had Marx back but they’re now down to 13.

07:36 AM BST

TRY PAISAMI! Australia 7-33 South Africa

Free-kick to Australia, South Africa drove early. Wilson with a tap, Australia five metres out. Now one metre, forwards driving close to the line and scoring through Paisami near the corner. Something to savour. Converted by Lynagh.

07:33 AM BST

74 mins - Australia 0-33 South Africa

Better scrum for Australia (obviously, South Africa are down two forwards) before Pietsch drops a pass. Basic stuff that, can see some fans leaving in the background.

07:30 AM BST

73 mins - Australia 0-33 South Africa

Pearce not happy with the Springboks’ discipline - it’s a second yellow card, this time for Van Staden. South Africa down to 13.

Surely Australia can score now. They haven’t been nilled in a Test match against South Africa since 1956.

07:28 AM BST

71 mins - Australia 0-33 South Africa

Penalties creeping up for South Africa in the last few minutes. Maybe Australia can find a way through with an extra player advantage.

Lineout won at the front but it goes to ground five metres out... and the Wallabies are in touch. Kolbe throwing into the lineout with no Marx, and he goes to Steenekamp at the front before Williams clears.

07:23 AM BST

68 mins - Australia 0-33 South Africa

More possesion for South Africa... is that Kolbe going for a drop goal? It is, and it’s wide.

TMO check for head contact, Marx on Valetini. It was Marx making a tackle, he was the second man going into the collision. Koch made the initial contact so there might be an argument that he shifted Valetini’s body position late on. Pearce says yellow card for Marx. Springbok hooker doesn’t seem sure but off he goes eventually. South Africa down to 14.

07:22 AM BST

66 mins - Australia 0-33 South Africa

Nearly another, but this time the cross-field kicks is just a shade too fast for Kolbe and goes into touch. Reimer now on for his Australia debut.

07:19 AM BST

TRY ARENDSE! Australia 0-33 South Africa

Listen, maybe that winning margin is under threat?

From the kickoff South Africa cut through, le Roux into the line, Kriel cutting in and finding space all too easily before going back to Arendse to sprint over in the corner. That’s some tired Australian defending right there. Feinberg-Mngomezulu can’t convert.

07:18 AM BST

TRY SMITH! Australia 0-28 South Africa

Well-worked score. Couple of big runs over the gain-line by the forwards, before Williams drifts ever so slightly to open up the hole for Smith to crash through by the posts. Feinberg-Mngomezulu converts.

That’s South Africa’s fourth try but they already had the try bonus point anyway, given in the Rugby Championship that gets awarded if you outscore your opponent by three tries.

07:16 AM BST

61 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

Springboks on the charge and looking good, penalty advantage played as they shift the ball wide to Arendse... has he snuck in there? No, foot in touch. Back for a penalty for the offside. Three penalties on the bounce now and the Wallabies get a warning.

07:14 AM BST

59 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

Two Wallabies changes: Gordon and Alaalatoa off, McDermott and Nonggorr on.

Williams jumps across at the lineout so that’s another penalty for the Springboks. There are pressure penalties and then just basic ones, and Australia have given up too many of the latter.

07:13 AM BST

Kolisi’s opening try from the first half

07:13 AM BST

59 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

Good run from Ikitau, who’s been quiet. Looks like a turnover... it is, Kwagga will take those all day. South Africa clear.

07:11 AM BST

57 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

Better attack from the Wallabies, finding room out on the left as they get to South Africa’s 22. Valetini with another tough carry, doesn’t stop. Knocked on by South Africa in the tackle so Australia will have a scrum deep in the Springboks’ half.

Kolisi off for Van Staden, Louw for Kolisi. Louw had some nice runs in the first half, deserves another look at No 8.

07:09 AM BST

56 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

Another scrum penalty for South Africa, guessing that’s the fourth - it is. Cleared to touch by halfway.

Frost off for Williams.

07:06 AM BST

55 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

Maul starts promisingly but Malherbe (I think) has done superbly there to disrupt that and force a knock-on. Australia don’t have an effective way to crack this defence at the moment. Springbok scrum as Etzebeth gets some strapping. Malherbe and Nche off for Koch and Steenekamp. Etzebeth too, with Moerat on.

07:05 AM BST

53 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

Australia win the lineout, Valetini on the charge again. Wide to Pietsch, cutting in well. De Allende giving up a penalty, Australia have to score here. Not going anywhere so we come back for the offence, kicked to the corner.

Williams now on for Reinach at scrum-half.

07:02 AM BST

51 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

A fairly simple kick to sort out nearly leads to disaster for the Wallabies as Wright and Lolesio clatter each other, but it’s a mark. They clear to touch outside the 22.

Better pressure from Australia at the breakdown as Reinach loses the ball, Valetini getting to it and kicking clear. Puts South Africa all the way back to their own five-metre line before Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicks to touch.

06:59 AM BST

49 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

Nasser throws to the tail and it’s too long, you just can’t do that at this level I’m afraid.

Springboks with a counter, beautiful hands with delayed runners. Etzebeth gets greedy though, a rumble down the touchline through Pietsch before being tackled into touch.

06:58 AM BST

47 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

That’s better; Tizzano on debut pounces for a breakdown penalty. Good work from the former Ealing Trailfinder.

Long spell of possession but the Wallabies are very narrow, sucked into the breakdown by South Africa to just keep possession. But, another penalty, kicked to the corner.

06:56 AM BST

45 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

Kolbe taking the ball long off a lineout, maybe that’s more of Tony Brown’s input on the attack. Springboks shifting well, carries from Nche and Etzebeth, with Paisami then pinged for not rolling away at the breakdown. South Africa kick to touch, 10 metres out.

Lineout stolen! That’s a rarity. Gordon clears with a box-kick and it gets a good bounce past Arendse to skip over halfway.

06:52 AM BST

Second half underway

And an early error from the Wallabies as Pietsch knocks on. Couple of front row changes with Nasser on at hooker and Slipper at loosehead.

Given South Africa’s dominance in the first half I’ve had to check the record books - the Springboks are a long way off their biggest win over the Wallabies, a 45-point margin back in 2008.

Michael Hooper, the former Australia captain on comms for Stan Sport, is optimistcally talking about tiring the Springbok forwards out.

Scrum penalty South Africa, Slipper taking the heat from Malherbe. Kicked to touch on Australia’s 10-metre line.

06:39 AM BST

Haven’t seen stats like that for a while

Possession: Australia 35%-65% South Africa
Territory: Australia 37%-63% South Africa

06:37 AM BST

HALF-TIME: Australia 0-21 South Africa

Pure dominance from South Africa, blending power with width and never letting the Wallabies out of their own half. It’s been a procession.

06:34 AM BST

40 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

South Africa are offside near halfway, with Lolesio finding touch in the 22. Alaalatoa complaining about South Africa slowing it down, I think I heard.

One last chance then for the Wallabies to get something out of this drubbing of a first half. Valetini running up again, now Salakaia-Loto. Kolbe with a great hit on Alaalatoa. Best spell of the half though for the Wallabies as the hooter goes, about 10 metres out from the try line.

But it comes to an end with a knock-on in the tackle.

06:31 AM BST

37 mins - Australia 0-21 South Africa

Finally the Wallabies get into South Africa’s 22 after Du Toit is pinged for holding on. And the lineout is shocker going over the top past everyone. Penalty South Africa for Paisami going off his feet. Grim lessons in this half for the Wallabies.

06:29 AM BST

TRY ARENDSE! Australia 0-21 South Africa

Monster scrum, penalty coming, Reinach was comically left on his own because the pack had all trundled over the line.

Nasty footwork from Arendse as he slashes over! That’s number three. Reckon South Africa are winning in Brisbane today. Feinberg-Mngomezulu converts.

06:27 AM BST

33 mins - Australia 0-14 South Africa

Knocked on by Kolisi going for the line? Springboks tried a cute move with Kolisi and Marx combining at the front, but it went forward in the contact. Decent 17kg weight advantage for the Springbok pack.

Paisami crashes up but then he doesn’t release, penalty. South Africa call a scrum but Alaalatoa is pinged, penalty. Unrelenting.

06:20 AM BST

31 mins - Australia 0-14 South Africa

Springboks in front of that big bank of fans threatening to go for another score, and probably would score but Le Roux is tackled off the ball by Lolesio. It’s being checked by the TMO for a potential penalty try. There’s another defender nearby so just a penalty.

Now there’s another TMO check... for Kellaway lifting Reinach in the tackle on the far side earlier. “Yeah, he can’t do that,” says Pearce. So two penalties to pick from for South Africa, one central and one out near the wing. It’s also a yellow card for Kellaway for a dangerous tackle. They choose the penalty out wide and it will go into touch.

06:19 AM BST

28 mins - Australia 0-14 South Africa

Springboks now going to the bench early, with Marx coming on for Mbonambi.

Lovely chip back on the angle by Feinberg-Mngomezulu under the posts for Le Roux to chase. He’s adamant that he’s got the ball down before it rolled dead, but it’s no try. Wallabies with a 22-metre dropout.

Louw happily thunders that kick back into contact. Big day for the No 8 and he’s had some nice touches so far.

06:16 AM BST

26 mins - Australia 0-14 South Africa

Early change for the Wallabies, Pietsch on for Daugunu.

Wallabies have a lineout on South Africa’s 10-metre line. Valetini crashes up and knocks on in the contact, that’s a killer. Wallabies pinned right back into their own 22 again with Gordon box-kicking from his own five-metre line, and only finding touch inside the 22.

06:13 AM BST

TRY DU TOIT! Australia 0-14 South Africa

Rare threat in attack from the Wallabies through Paisami, who was just about stopped, but back come South Africa. Numbers right, Kolisi brought down maybt 10 metres out but it’s quick ruck ball for South Africa who have numbers left and Du Toit dives over for their second.

It’s been coming. Nice width there in attack, Kolisi’s offload off the ground was excellent and they kept the ball alive to open up the defence. Feinberg-Mngomezulu converts.

06:10 AM BST

22 mins - Australia 0-7 South Africa

Australia scrum five metres from their line... Gordon could not get that away quicker, shuffling it to Kellaway who finds touch but not outside of the 22.

Another good maul but goes to ground... and Gordon turns it over! Ikitau clears but there’s no escape for Australia from their half as Feinberg-Mngomezulu nails a grubber into touch.

06:08 AM BST

20 mins - Australia 0-7 South Africa

Just... so much kicking. Finally we get a break though, a Springbok turnover on Gordon leading to Feinberg-Mngomezulu going clear with a well-timed ball to Le Roux. He has two on his outside but cuts back in... and somehow isn’t turned over. Frantic defence from the Wallabies somehow keeps South Africa out as it ends with a forward pass. How have the Springboks not scored there?

06:04 AM BST

17 mins - Australia 0-7 South Africa

Stolen lineout by Du Toit and the Springboks clear. Wallabies nearly playing their way into a bit of trouble as De Allende goes in hard on Paisami. High kick from Gordon well taken by Feinberg-Mngomezulu, before a long kicking exchange ends with Tom Wright finding touch in South Africa’s half.

06:02 AM BST

15 mins - Australia 0-7 South Africa

Big fan of Valetini, who crashes up, but South Africa slow it down (Kolisi I think) and Gordon sends up a drab up-and-under which Kolbe easily takes. That was poor. Kolbe finds touch.

06:01 AM BST

13 mins - Australia 0-7 South Africa

Back underway but let’s see how long Reinach lasts. Du Toit thundered into touch by a good Daugunu tackle after a lovely bit of footwork and offloading by Kolbe.

Springboks now penalised for grabbing the arm of a player in the air which means Australia... are out of their half! Let’s see what they can do.

05:58 AM BST

11 mins - Australia 0-7 South Africa

South Africa have had 95 per cent territory so far - Wallabies could use some of that. Daugunu tries an up-and-under and it almost worked, but South Africa’s kicking game right now is working brilliantly, Australia barely out of their half.

Reinach down, think he copped a blow from Feinberg-Mngomezulu coming in to take a catch.

05:56 AM BST

TRY KOLISI! Australia 0-7 South Africa

Another maul, solid start before it shifts left and Kolisi reaches out an arm through the middle to get it down. The shove coming in from the right to change the maul’s direction caught Australia out. Pressure into points and a deserved lead.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu converts.

05:55 AM BST

9 mins - Australia 0-0 South Africa

Another breakdown penalty against the Wallabies, Alaalatoa this time in at the side. Australia have to be clean there.

Lineout in the Australia 22, Etzebeth takes it at the front, good-looking maul and an advantage after Wilson infringes. Reinach’s short pass to De Allende is intercepted so back for the penalty. Feinberg-Mngomezulu puts it in the corner.

05:52 AM BST

7 mins - Australia 0-0 South Africa

Kicking contest after the Wallabies won that lineout and went for a chip over the top. Don’t love that tactic. Feinberg-Mngomezulu calls a mark and clears, Lolesio replying with a short up-and-under which doesn’t look good at all as South Africa counter. Threatening down the right, Wilson brings down Etzebeth but then Salakaia-Loto comes in illegally - penalty.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu going for the posts... oh no, that’s an absolute shank to the left.

05:50 AM BST

5 mins - Australia 0-0 South Africa

Mbonambi finds Etzebeth, maul stopped by the Wallabies. Carries from Etzebeth and Louw in the Aus 22, but then Etzebeth isn’t expecting a pass and the Wallabies pounce at the breakdown for a turnover penalty. Kicked to touch by Lolesio on halfway. Good defence there.

05:49 AM BST

3 mins - Australia 0-0 South Africa

Du Toit and Nche harried by Wallaby tackles but there’s a knock-on in there, so it’s a South Africa scrum. And it’s a monster, instant penalty advantage.

Kolbe with a dart, just about stopped. Feinberg-Mngomezulu goes cross-field with a kick which is nearly won back, Le Roux hacks on but the Wallabies survive, so back for the penalty. It’s a tight angle so Feinberg-Mngomezulu goes for touch inside Australia’s 22.

05:47 AM BST

Kickoff!

We’re underway at a sold-out Suncorp. Luke Pearce from England on the whistle as Feinberg-Mngomezulu gets us going, kicking short to the right. Frost takes it and after a phase, Gordon sends up a box kick, won by Le Roux.

05:41 AM BST

Both teams are out for the anthems

It honestly looks like a Springbok home game.

Imagine the Wallabies will give South Africa the occasional rattle but it feels too early in their development under Schmidt to get a win. So, expecting a first South African win in Brisbane since 2013.

Early win for the Aussie anthem singer though, much better than his South African counterpart.

05:32 AM BST

No Taniela Tupou today for Australia

The Wallabies are wearing black armbands after Tupou’s father passed away earlier this week. Tupou’s scrummaging was a major weapon in the wins over Wales.

05:30 AM BST

So much change for the Wallabies

Thinking about the team picked for today compared to the one that played in the 30-17 win over South Africa here three years ago. Len Ikitau and Andrew Kellaway are the only surviving starters, while James Slipper and Tate McDermott on the bench today were also involved.

Schmidt had the games against Wales and Georgia to get a look at some players but his quotes this week were quite illuminating in terms of the rush to get the Wallabies ready.

05:07 AM BST

Digging into the records to see when PSDT last started at lock

Think it was against France back in November 2018, a 29-26 win for South Africa in Paris.

Here’s Rassie Erasmus on the changes.

05:02 AM BST

Late change for South Africa

RG Snyman is ruled out, which means a bit of a shuffle. Pieter-Steph du Toit moves to lock, Ben Jason-Dixon off the bench to flanker and Salmaan Moerat is now a replacement lock.

Seems like a good time to post the teams:

Australia: 15 Tom Wright; 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Filipo Daugunu; 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Jake Gordon;1 Isaac Kailea, 2 Matt Faessler, 3 Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 4 Nick Frost, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 6 Rob Valetini, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 8 Harry Wilson,
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 James Slipper, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Tom Lynagh, 23 Dylan Pietsch.

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux; 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse; 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach; 1 Ox Nche, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 3 Frans Malherbe, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 8 Elrigh Louw
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Handré Pollard.

04:50 AM BST

You should know this by now

But Springbok fans are everywhere.

04:45 AM BST

All eyes on Sacha

The fly-half making a first start has already produced a number of quality cameos off the bench this year and appears to have it all. Here’s a deep dive on why everyone in South Africa is so excited.

04:30 AM BST

Welcome

A (very early) good morning to those of you in UK and to the rest of you wherever you are in the world, as we get ready for the start of the 2024 Rugby Championship with this meeting in Brisbane between the Wallabies and Springboks.

Quick fact: South Africa have a terrible record at Suncorp. They have lost their last four matches there and not triumphed there since back in 2013, when Zane Kirchner and Jean de Villiers were among their try-scorers. Since then they have lost 24-20, 23-17, 23-18 and 30-17; all fairly tight games.

That last meeting, back in 2021, was a lowpoint for the Springboks, failing to make the most of their territory and possession while being thwarted by a brave Australian defence, with South Africa outscored by four tries to one. Jacques Nienaber, then South Africa’s head coach, did not hold back. “We were really beaten. We got hands-down beaten in everything - defence, kicking game, attack. This isn’t a performance that was worthy enough for a Springboks performance.”

Those kind of defeats are why South Africa, despite their back-to-back World Cup wins, are not quite considered to be in the same bracket as the great All Blacks side between 2011 and 2015 who swept all before them. And heading to Brisbane, South Africa are in an interesting place. New caps are being blooded as the rebuild begins for 2027, with first starts against Australia for the hugely exciting Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at fly-half and Elrigh Louw at No 8. The drawn series with Ireland showed that South Africa can be beaten up physically with enough intent, before they were sunk by Ciaran Frawley’s drop goal.

Australia meanwhile are in the midst of an even bigger rebuild under new coach Joe Schmidt. The series win over Wales had some promising moments, particularly Taniela Tupou’s powerful scrummaging (not playing today after his father passed away). It’s a huge day for flanker Carlo Tizzano, the 24-year-old who recently spent a year with Ealing Trailfinders and now plays for the Western Force. Expect him to be prominent at the breakdown. “He fights for everything,” was Schmidt’s description, which sounds promising.

Kickoff coming up, fetch your coffee.