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In my preview I wrote a tour of New Zealand will test your mind, Australia tests your feet, and South Africa tests your guts.
No visitor found the brains, feet, or intestinal fortitude to win the opener of their series, which may be the last of their kind.
Wales and Ireland had chances to make history in Pretoria and Auckland: the first ever to win on South African and Kiwi soil.
Both had dream starts: early tries built on composure and skill, and the hosts’ errors.
For the Springboks, trailing has become common. The Boks have won the second half in 23 of their last 25 Tests, and the last time they led at halftime against Wales was in 2014.
But this was an extreme hole: they are one of only five top tier teams who have ever come back from 15+ point halftime deficits. All have only done it once. It’s a mountain to climb.
Wales had Lions galore and canny captain (Dan Biggar), in top form kicking and talking.
Coach Jacques Nienaber got a little cute with the first Test and it almost put him in the bad books of Bok records. He put Elton Jantjies in charge of the Bok kicking game and Jantjies was so poor he was off at oranges and replaced with, wait for it, Willie le Roux.
Faf de Klerk of the Springboks is tackled by Dan Biggar of Wales. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)
Willie played ten in schools, but that’s a long time ago and a very different level than Test footy. In the end, he and smooth Damian Willemse pulled their team back from the brink, winning 32-29 with the very last act of the test.
Willemse is not even the first choice kicker for the Stormers, but he slotted the winner at the death as cool as you like, with the score deadlocked at 29-all.
The Boks had won about sixty percent of both territory and possession, gained 469 metres (to 274 by Wales) on twice the carries, beat 25 defenders (by far the most of the weekend), scored 4 tries, and did not miss many tackles.
Jasper Wiese, feeling the heat of the challenge of Evan Roos for the No 8 jersey, broke five tackles in one run alone.
Gritty Wales scored three tries without busting tackles: a simple overlap, a bouncing ball, and a late maul, down two men.
Unfortunately for the home side in front of 52,000 at Loftus Versfeld, they conceded 14 turnovers (to 5) to a stubborn Welsh side determined to keep it close even if it cost them cards (four yellows). The Boks had ascendancy at scrum, but only fed two the entire match.
Composure down the stretch and having the bravery to win: this is what Wales have lacked in the Republic before and it happened again, kicking the ball back to the Boks with a minute to go, and giving them a sniff, which they tend to snort.
The problem for Wales is their hosts will improve. The Boks will get better production from their flyhalf in Test 2 because nobody has ever played a worse game at ten than Jantjies did.
I wrote in my preview that Wales had to win the first Test, but that it was more likely that a slow starting South Africa would win it in the final quarter and then sweep the series.
It was magic to see Cheslin Kolbe and Lukhanyo Am weave in and out, and Lood de Jager in full flight on a clean break. But the Boks will tighten up defence and probably not let three tries in at Bloemfontein, nor waste nine points from the tee.
Confident Ireland also started strong. Eden Park was quietened. Aging winger Keith Earls scored a fine try. Johnny Sexton still sees the game as well as any playmaker, but when he went off, Ireland looked rudderless. They had no Plan B. The scoreline (42-19) seems a bit harsh on Ireland, but that is how the All Blacks score; in bunches, off scraps, and in a hurry.
Even though Ireland threw eighty more passes, had 60 percent of the ball and territory, beat more defenders, made more offloads, and were penalised less, New Zealand won the first half by a large margin, and then held the visitors off, ending 6-2 up in tries using turnover ball better.
This series could get ugly because the hosts will only get better in each Test.
I predicted the English tour of Australia would be close and come down to one kick. The first match, even if it does not seem that way, came down to one kick. Noah Lolesio made all of his and Owen Farrell missed some he usually makes. Winning 30-28 (3-3 tries, only 2 clean breaks, 13-12 in penalties, and surviving a red card) is not that comfortable, even if the last two English tries came late and were window dressing.
INSTANT REACTION: Harry is joined by fellow The Roar experts Brett McKay and Jim Tucker for a look at the Wallabies’ win in Perth
The Wallabies were so tough and just had no quit in them. Pete Samu scored a brilliant try, as did Jordan Petaia who went to wing to cover the excellent Andrew Kellaway filling in for a broken Tom Banks. What a win!
What a good, tough team Dave Rennie is building. He makes no excuses, unless a ref really rankles him.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Eddie Jones is the excuse king of rugby. Sitting on talent Wales and Scotland could only dream of, and Ireland has half of, Eddie has run off a dozen assistants, failed to finish top two in the least two Six Nations, and does not know who his best XV is.
He may not even know what his game plan is, but I am tipping England to be the sole tourist to win the next Test.
On another day, a few things would shift and I think will shift. A call in the scrums will change. Uncapped players will wake up and realize they are supposed to be nervous wrecks.
Thus, I think the England series will go to a rubber match. An intriguing preview of World Cup finals, on the ‘weaker’ side of the draw. I’d back the Wallabies to finish out the series strong, with a win in the third Test.
Meanwhile, Ireland is likely to face New Zealand in France, and perhaps South Africa (twice, if they beat France or New Zealand).
The signs are ominous.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.