South Africa
35
Match Complete
Australia
17
| E. Jantjies |  | 83 | ||
| C. Reinach |  | 80 | ||
| 71 | | B. Foley | ||
| 70 | | B. Foley | ||
| E. Jantjies | | 63 | ||
| H. Jantjies | | 61 | ||
| E. Jantjies | | 57 | ||
| S. Nkosi | | 55 | ||
| 30 | | B. Foley | ||
| 28 | | D. Haylett-Petty | ||
| E. Jantjies | | 24 | ||
| L. D. Jager | | 23 | ||
| 16 |  | B. Foley | ||
| E. Jantjies | | 11 | ||
| H. Jantjies | | 10 |
| 5 | Tries | 2 | ||
| 5 | Conversions | 2 | ||
| 0 | Penalty Goals | 1 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
Match result:
The Wallabies’ woes have continued as they went down convincingly to South Africa.
A dominant display by the Boks who, despite missing many key players, were far too strong for the error-prone Aussies.
Another defeat to add to Michael Cheika’s growing collection.
Final score
South Africa 35
Wallabies 17
Match preview:
Old rivals South Africa and Australia lock horns in Johannesburg in the opening match of the Rugby Championship. Can a Springbok ‘B’ team keep their great home record going, or will the Wallabies end their malaise? Join The Roar from 1:05am AEST.
Both sides are in a transition phase and both are desperate for results. 2018 was the Wallabies’ annus horriblis.
Michael Cheika was lucky to keep his job after a string of poor results and they are without the services of disgraced fullback Israel Folau. In a World Cup year it is make or break time.
It’s a similar story with the Boks with Rassie Erasmus appointed last year. Under him the Boks have not set the world alight yet, and he has taken the interesting decision to rest many of his key players from this game and save them for next week against New Zealand.
With Siya Kolisi injured, they will be captained by Eben Etzebeth. Uncapped players Rynhardt Elstadt and Herschel Jantjies will start, while Lizo Gqoboka has been named on the bench and all three will make their Test debuts.
Experience comes in the form of forwards Pieter-Steph du Toit, Francois Louw, Tendai Mtawarira and Lood de Jager, along with fly half Elton Jantjies and centre Jesse Kriel. On the bench are European-based players Marcell Coetzee, Cobus Reinach, and François Steyn.
South Africa will also make history by fielding a starting XV with eight black players for the first time.
Australia has its own fair share of debutants in the form of Isi Naisarani and Tom Banks in the starting side, and Harry Johnson-Holmes on the bench.
The Wallabies will be captained by Michael Hooper and he will pack down in a back-row with Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Naisarani.
Johnson-Holmes has been named in the 23 following the non-availability of Allan Alaalatoa, in addition to injuries to Scott Sio, and Tom Robertson. Folau Fainga’a will start at hooker with Jordan Uelese named as his deputy.
There is a return from England for Nic White, meaning Will Genia has been named on the bench. Joining him on the pine is Kurtley Beale and Matt To’omua.
The Wallabies have a terrible record at Ellis Park and have not won there since 1963. Is it time for that record to be broken?
Prediction
This is a tough one to call, with both countries somewhat depleted but South Africa with a great record at home. If Australia’s debutants can fire, they can steal a win. Wallabies by three points.
When: 1.05am
Where: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
TV: Fox Sports
Betting: South Africa $1.50, Draw $25, Australia $1.70
Springboks
1 Tendai Mtawarira, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 4 Eben Etzebeth (capt.), 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Francois Louw, 9 Hershel Jantjies, 10 Elton Jantjies, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 12 André Esterhuizen, 13 Jesse Kriel, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 15 Warrick Gelant
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Frans Steyn, 23 Dillyn Leyds
Wallabies
1 James Slipper, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 3 Sekope Kepu, 4 Izack Rodda, 5 Rory Arnold, 6 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 7 Michael Hooper (capt.), 8 Isi Naisarani, 9 Nic White, 10 Bernard Foley, 11 Reece Hodge, 12 Samu Kerevi, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 15 Tom Banks
Replacements: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Jack Dempsey, 21 Will Genia, 22 Matt To’omua, 23 Kurtley Beale
BigBird
Guest
Sorry Bams. Kerevi of course.
BigBird
Guest
It was so close I could have kicked it. And that's saying something.
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
I was under the influence at the time though.... I just think he does the small stuff well, but I don’t know where we go from here..
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Kicking for a line out would have made much more sense than a scrum.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Yeah looks like it might be another "rebuilding" year
jeznez
Roar Guru
Yep. White, Kerevi and Naisarani the stand outs for me. Agree Beale very good off the bench. . Was the skew lineout throws making my blood boil. He pinged us but let four or five go from them.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
And had Hooper taken the kick and it missed, we'd have everyone over him for not going for the try.
Redbeard
Roar Rookie
Mocks, as you suggest, it was just too predictable and just so expected. The Wobblies performed as we thought they would! However, the young #9 for the Boks, Herschel Jantjies was exceptional and reminded me of a young Will Genia.
Chivas
Roar Rookie
Any moment that goes against the Wallabies is a key moment by your analysis. What made that moment so different? All the moments that went against the Bok weren’t important as all the ones that went against the Wallabies. It’s been someone else’s fault for the wallabies losing for what seems like ever. Argentina looks good and Fiji are looking pretty strong. Every chance Wallabies will slide a couple more spots before 2020 is over.. wonder how many refs Aussie commentators and coaches will have complained about and blamed for their losses. Thee team keeps sliding and fans are still suggesting refs should hang their heads in shame. I think maybe the coaches, commentators and fans are projecting…
ethan
Guest
Yes that was a terrible decision, mainly because our scrum had been under the pump. If we'd had a dominant scrum I could understand. Should have taken the three.
ethan
Guest
We hardly had the ball in the second half. And in the first half Nasairani was making all the carries and they were great, so I wouldn't single Arnold out. Hardly saw Rodda or LSL make any carries either. But our lineout was very good!
ethan
Guest
Entertaining game!
ethan
Guest
Agree, two bombed tries and a dubious yellow card, the teams were much closer than the scoreline shows. That being said, South Africa dominated the second half and were clearly the superior team. White, Nasairani and Kerevi were great for us and Beale added plenty of spark off the bench. DHP was a disaster.
freddieeffer
Guest
Yep, Tupou's YC was the turning point - pure and simple. The Wallabies used up too much valuable juice not just in that 10 minutes, but in the next 10 as well, and by then the game was out of reach.
jeznez
Roar Guru
How many times did they let themselves get tackled into touch? Infuriating.
jeznez
Roar Guru
That's what a heat death is, the loss of all heat.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Congratulations to South Africa and their supporters. Even without your big guns you had too much for us. Heads up Australia, plenty of good play in a losing effort. Didn't reach the required mark but I'm proud of the way you played. Paul Williams and your English assistants, hang your heads. South Africa were too good but why give them a leg up?
Lachness
Roar Rookie
I agree Riddler. While i don't think there is adequate quality once we get past our top 2 LH props and TH props, it would be good to see Sio and AAA staring with Slipper and TT off the bench. I feel Slipper is the ideal player to settle TT. Stop playing LSL at 6 and bring him off the bench at second row. Jones or Dempsey are far more competent at 6. Let's get a genuine fetcher in there at 7 to draw in the extra defender at the ruck (plus maybe actually steal a ball or two). Foley is simply not in form and would have been great to see CLL have a crack at that level next to White. Beale was great off the bench (as he was expected to be), combine that with Hooper and JOC. Rugby Wizard, i agree with you, would love to hear they are trying to bring Luke Morahan back before the RWC, we need another genuine winger with solid speed, skills and a left boot. I read Scott Johnson saying they had been talking to multiple players in Europe, lets hope he is one of them.
somer
Guest
It's irrelevant, the Boks had to contend with the exact same scenario (14 players) and they all went up a gear to compensate. The Wallabies weren't capable of compensating, they didn't have any left mentally or physically.
Lano
Roar Guru
Always does. Cliched nothing. Flippn joke.