Pretoria — The Springboks’ 43-12 demolition of the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday made a few things very clear — the South Africans mean business in this World Cup year and Eddie Jones has no magic wand for the Wallabies.
If anything the Australians were far worse than they were under previous coach Dave Rennie and at some point of this match dear Eddie must have been reminded of the time he brought the Queensland Reds to Loftus and they were beaten 92-3 by Heyneke Meyer’s Bulls (2007).
FULL TIME! The Springboks complete a comprehensive victory over the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship opener at Loftus Versveld.
— Zaahier Adams (@ZaahierAdams) July 8, 2023
SA 43 - 12 Wallabies @IOLsport #RSAvAUS pic.twitter.com/HBpVEMjaFC
Eddie had said during the week that he was bringing a team here to end Australia’s winless record in Pretoria. However, his forwards were so outclassed by a Bok pack that was minus a host of players that are in Auckland preparing for the All Blacks that the coach must be wishing he was never sacked by England.
The Boks forwards reigned supreme. It would be unfair to single out individuals but homeboy Marco van Staden must have enjoyed his outing and Duane Vermeulen added superb action to his declaration to the media on Friday that he is far from finished. Behind a dominant pack, Manie Libbok pulled the strings sweetly, centre Andre Esterhuizen was hugely impressive while the wings had a ball, notably, Kurt-Lee Arendse, who bagged a hat-trick, but Canan Moodie also looked dangerous each time he got the ball.
The funny thing is that the Wallabies scored the first points of the match only to concede the next 43 points before they had the last say with a consolation try to Carter Gordon.
The perfect start to the Rugby Championship for the Springboks 👏🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/bGllmUIrk4
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 8, 2023
It was seven minutes into the game and the Wallabies spread the ball wide beautifully to Marika Koroibete and the flying Fijian scorched 40m to the corner.
That was the last we saw of the Aussie backs and you wonder if it might have been a more equal game if they had got more ball.
The Boks were shocked into the attack. Libbok opened his team’s account with a penalty and the Boks went straight back onto the attack from the restart when Moodie made strong yardage to set up the try on the other wing for Kurt-Lee Arendse, the right wing’s first.
It was a superb score and as good was Arendse’s second try five minutes later. Esterhuizen made the early running and a few phases later Bongi Mbonambi showed the skills of a back to neatly offload to Arendse.
The normally accurate Reece Hodge missed a conversion and two penalties in the first half but in truth 17-5 was a fair reflection of a first half in which the Boks dominated territory and possession.
A Springbok winger in a scrumcap 🕺
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 8, 2023
Kurt-Lee Arendse's two tries and Manie Libbok's conversions give the Springboks a 17-5 lead at the break 👏
📺 Stream #RSAvAUS live: https://t.co/bDeiretOMn pic.twitter.com/xxUHiR5bzS
Ten minutes into the second half, Arendse nailed his hat-trick and a rout was secured with half an hour still to play, and the Aussie pack increasingly outgunned.
Wallaby veteran James Slipper was yellow-carded for pulling down a maul and a penalty try was awarded. The crumbling Aussies conceded a second penalty try after a lethal attack by replacement scrumhalf Grant Williams and the icing on the cake for the Boks was Pieter-Steph du Toit’s dart over the line from close range.
Point-scorers
South Africa 43 — Tries: Kurt-Lee Arendse (3), Penalty Try (2), Pieter-Steph du Toit. Conversions: Manie Libbok (3). Penalty: Libbok.