Springboks inflict Wallabies’ worst Test loss ever
By David Beniuk, 31 Aug 2008
- Tagged:
- Australia, robbie deans, Rugby Union, South Africa, Tri Nations, wallabies
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An embarrassing Wallabies outfit suffered their worst Test loss of all time in the Tri-Nations clash at Ellis Park today, a rampant South Africa running in eight tries to thrash Australia 53-8.
The 45-point difference surpassed Australia’s previous worst losing margin of 39 points, also suffered at the hands of South Africa, in Pretoria in 1997.
Winger Jongi Nokwe scored four tries as the backs-to-the-wall Boks, fiercely criticised all week by the local media after straight losses at home, outgunned the Australians in all departments to have their 34,291 fans partying by halftime.
A hat-trick before the break from the flying winger had all but ended the Wallabies’ dream of making history in the Republic with back-to-back wins for the first time in 45 years and helped the Boks go to the sheds up 27-3.
Any thoughts of a spirited Australian turnaround in the second half were soon extinguished when Adrian Jacobs went on a blistering run to the line five minutes after the break to make it 34-3.
And when Nokwe finished a grubber to score his fourth in the 50th minute, the only history that looked like being made by Australia was in the area of biggest losses.
Coach Robbie Deans began hooking players, with high profile run-on debutant Timana Tahu pulled in the 52nd minute.
A Drew Mitchell consolation try in the 57th minute brought it back to 39-8 but Australia’s case of the dropsies continued against a Boks side full of running and Ruan Pienaar scored a classy individual try in the 69th minute for 46-8 before Odwa Ndungane iced the cake a minute from time.
A big, altitude-enhanced kicking game from the Boks, and fumbles, soft defence in the centre and poor lineout throwing from Australia had helped South Africa to early dominance.
The Boks came up with points after their first period of sustained pressure when fullback Conrad Jantjes showed his classy footwork before sending giant No.4 Andries Bekker over out wide, the conversion making it 7-3 after eight minutes.
It took the Boks only four more minutes to get their second, a quick tap from Fourie du Preez sending Nokwe diving into the left corner for 12-3.
Australia tried to play catch-up but the Boks’ stiff defence, crunching work at the breakdown and massive kicks snuffed out anything the visitors had to offer.
The South Africans seemed to be able to create overlaps on the left at will and Nokwe crossed in the 26th and 36th minutes to complete his first 40 hat-trick.
The Wallabies will need a massive improvement to be any chance of wresting the Tri-Nations title from New Zealand when they meet in Brisbane on September 13.
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Read Spiro Zavos’s analysis of the match on The Roar, first thing Monday morning.
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- Australia, robbie deans, Rugby Union, South Africa, Tri Nations, wallabies
August 31st 2008 @ 8:48am
True Tah said | August 31st 2008 @ 8:48am | Report comment
Everything seemed to turn to gold for the Boks, gosh they were making breaks at will…it was if they have saved up all their good plays for last…my MOM was Beast, maybe the ARU should start sending talent scouts to Zimbabwe, and see if we can find some frontrowers in Beast’s image.
As for the Wallabies, well we were well and truly sjambokked, handling skills were atrocious, communication in defence was awful, and some of the tackling reminded me of English rugby league a few years ago, forgetting that the best way to stop a man is by taking out his legs.
Argentina lost by a similar scoreline, but at least the Pumas showed a bit of ticker for the first half an hour.
I hope Deans has got a big stick, because he will need it against the ABs.
August 31st 2008 @ 9:59am
sheek said | August 31st 2008 @ 9:59am | Report comment
What the two heavy defeats in Auckland & Jo’burg have demonstrated, is that this is still an ordinary Wallabies outfit who have been coaxed by a canny coach to play above themselves on most occasions this year.
But in reality, the 2008 outfit, personnel-wise, isn’t much better (yet) than the 2007, or 2006, or 2005, or 2004, model. Deans will have learnt a great deal about his players from these two defeats. The reality is that some of the current personnel may not get too many opportunities in the future.
Deans has rightly adopted a softly, softly approach to now, keeping faith with many experienced & blooded players, as he sets about establishing his imprint on the Wallabies. But he will now have to start looking further afield for fresh blood. Some of the current squad exhibit fatal structural flaws in their game.
Anyway, those of you who saw the game last night don’t need me to remind you of the many mind-benders performed by different Wallabies at different times during the game!
August 31st 2008 @ 10:10am
Mungo said | August 31st 2008 @ 10:10am | Report comment
Embarasment to say the least, Ashley Cooper had the wrong Jersy on continually kicking to his mates as with Polota Nau with his line out throwing, the whole backline should have discarded their boots at half time and played barefoot like my 7 year old used to, the sign of a good team is beating a top nation with it’s backs to the wall and that requires mongerel and brains, hiopefully with our backs to the wall we can turn this around next week, meanwhile I’m walking around with dark sunnies on hoping I dont run into any Kiwis or Saffas.
August 31st 2008 @ 10:13am
gavin said | August 31st 2008 @ 10:13am | Report comment
Ben
Tahu is ready, believe me he is. He received no assistance from the others. He should play his own game to his talents. There is indeed a thing called overcoaching
We have to look further afield instead of the usual spots for talent.
Teletubbies slow to the ball and the ruck, the boks weren’t. Their athleticism is not there. Slide defence woeful, but I doubt they could tackle properly anyway. Giteau. Mortlock even, all woeful. The line out buggered
South Africa played well, but they are not as good a side as that score suggested. It’s as though our lads didn’t turn up.
I think the ELVs should be reviewed, and i suspect Deans is asking himself what he’s gotten himself into
August 31st 2008 @ 10:19am
sheek said | August 31st 2008 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Can’t help myself…..some pointers.
Has Adam Ashley-Cooper played himself out of the starting XV? Was he following instructions? Did those instructions insist he keep kicking long to a recognised return kicker? And what was that rubbish (although exciting) of keeping the ball alive when the half-time hooter sounded? The Boks nearly scored then.
Are Lote Tuqiri’s best days behind him? Lote seems to be struggling with the pace of the game.
Be careful what you wish for. Most of us wanted to see Timana Tahu at inside centre. We got our wish, & a debacle. Tahu was defensively inept. But if there is an upside, he will have learnt heaps from the experience.
Bring back Burgess as quickly as possible, & find an able backup. Poor old Cords has suffered the same fate as Whits. Waited too long for his opportunity, but now too old to take advantage of the fact.
Wycliff Palu is a monster, but terribly inconsistent. Unless he is willing to engage more consistently, Deans might consider finding someone else. This game proved Phil Waugh is not a starter. George Smith has won this particular battle. Rocky Elsom was subdued, but so was the rest of the pack.
The frontrow remains an achilles heel. But it’s the best we have. Or appears so. Deans might have to start fast tracking some other guys. Find frontrowers who have the physique & basic technique, then fine tune their skills. Tatafu Polota-Nau is in the same boat as Waugh – a great impact player off the bench – but sadly, not a starter, at least not on last night’s evidence.
I don’t know if it was because the Wallabies were out-enthused (yet again) but there appears to be a lack of pace across the team. And our talented but raw locks will have to learn some tricks very quickly!
I don’t know where the next generation of stars will come from. I will leave it to people like my two mates Peter K & James WM, who seem to have a better handle on talent coming through, to tell us where Deans should be looking.
August 31st 2008 @ 10:19am
Benjamin said | August 31st 2008 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Gavin, on what basis is Tahu ready?
Why should the ELVs be reviewed?
August 31st 2008 @ 10:25am
Peter K said | August 31st 2008 @ 10:25am | Report comment
The boks played fantastic.
I want to give credit to PDV.
For years I have seen in test matches that there are overlaps out wide on the wing, but the teams are too slow in getting the ball out. Nearly every ruck that is on one dise of the field the winger on the other is not marked. I used to think just use fast hands and minds but teams never did. They ran it back inside , angle runs, forwards etc.
PDV is the first to really try and coach getting it to the wing and exploit the natural overlap, not once but all the time.
The Boks showed what happens when it works. Most of the tries were unmarked wingers in the first half not missed tackles.
Boks won every battle very well done.
August 31st 2008 @ 10:28am
Peter K said | August 31st 2008 @ 10:28am | Report comment
For the Wallabies, out of the starting XV only Palu and Tuqiri had good games. The rest poor.
From the bench Smith, Cross, Mitchell had a good game.
PN threw poorly but so did Moore. Moore lost 4/5 throws that I saw, just as bad. We really miss Vickermans organisation of the lineout.
August 31st 2008 @ 10:30am
Barry said | August 31st 2008 @ 10:30am | Report comment
Sheek
You got it right in a nutshell. The facts hurt but were to from here ??
August 31st 2008 @ 10:31am
Peter K said | August 31st 2008 @ 10:31am | Report comment
BTW I was one of those clamouring for Tahu starting at 12.
He is not ready, has no idea how to defend there, he kept coming inside to help with a gang tackle and left overlaps. Very poor. Needs a season at 12 in S14 IMO.