Australia 12-30 South Africa: men’s rugby union international – as it happened

Key events

Summary

Jonathan Howcroft

Thank you for joining me tonight. Stay tuned for Angus Fontaine’s match report and further analysis during the week.

Next up for the Wallabies is a two-Test trip to Argentina, while the Springboks welcome the All Blacks to Ellis Park in what promises to be one of the Tests of the year.

I’ll see you back here soon.

Springbok Jesse Kriel is buzzing:

I think with Rassie, it is more about his mindset and encouraging us as players to go out there, express ourselves, not be scared to make mistakes. I think as a player it is probably the key to go out there and try things. He’s said to us,’ ‘go out there, go with offloads, get the ball into the width, express yourselves’. I think with Tony Brown coming in, it’s complemented that. It is exciting to be part of this team at the moment and play the brand of rugby we’re trying to play. Really excited and really happy to be part of them.

The best thing about a really world class coach is how they can simplify and get messages across and make attacks simple. I think Tony does that in a way which is exciting as well. He gets the guys feeling like six-year-old kids at training, which is awesome at international rugby. He’s got really cool skill games and encouraging guys to get the games going, work on their passing and all the innovative moves, he’s getting guys stimulated, thinking about the game which I enjoy and I think a lot of the other guys are as well. You can see it on the field.

Schmidt:

I can’t fault the effort. Trying to combat a Springbok maul with a fully fit pack is tough enough. With kind of a little bit of half a pack, it became very difficult, then we ended up when Seru Uru got sin- binned, you know, that’s a really big ask.

I still am proud of the way that the guys fought their way through that second half. And the way that they stayed in the fight in the first half. It could have been… I know it could have been easy to stay, but it could have been 12–11 at half-time. That would have been a massive lift for the boys.

I do like how Schmidt speaks. He’s very matter-of-fact and would make a great pundit at some point. He doesn’t lay it on too think with his analysis.

This is the best team in the world. This is no easy side to play against at the moment and we want to be mixing it with those teams. You know, that was one of the positives about the first half. We mixed it, scrambled really well.

We knew that we had to move them around. We couldn’t just have a toe-to-toe battle with them. In our effort to do that, we undid ourselves a little bit. Maybe over-kicking or trying too heard to get the ball into some space. Not only are they very physical upfront, but very tough with their speed.

Joe Schmidt has the microphone. “Well, it was tough-going,” he begins…

I thought we almost got our nose in front at half-time which would have been a lift for the players. They were a little bit beaten up coming in at half-time, very physical as it always is against the Springboks. We’ve got a few guys who are walking wounded. We kind of just scrambled our way through the second half. Found it very hard to contain the maul with some of our bigger men out there. They capitalised on that. It made it pretty tough work. We had a couple of chances. Lukhan put one down in front of the posts we were close with. Those things really hurt us. On rebound, they made things very tough for us.

Eben Etzebeth lifts the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate as winners of the two-Test series.

I’d just like to say thanks to all the South Africans here tonight. You guys have been amazing the last two weeks in Brisbane and in Perth. It was a tough battle and obviously to the boys, what a great tour we had. Two weeks. It was the greatest. Thanks everyone.

The opposite is the case for the Wallabies who have come back to earth with a thud after victories over Wales and Georgia. While they hung in for longer tonight the same issues that have plagued Australian Test rugby for years showed up again to erase any chance of a victory.

Expect plenty of tactical analysis in the coming days on Australia’s willingness to kick away possession, especially cross-field. But such dissection should also note how crude the Wallabies were with ball in hand; it’s hardly as if they were turning down guaranteed points time and again.

The two matches of this mini-series could hardly have been played in more different conditions, but the outcome was the same in both. In Brisbane, South Africa thrilled with ball in hand. In Perth they kicked smartly and bulldozed their way over the line. Considering the volume of players Rassie Erasmus has used, the set-piece trickery, and the variety now at his disposal, this tour could hardly have gone better.

“They turned up, they played some good footy, they won the big moments tonight,” laments Harry Wilson. “I felt we weren’t far off, but we’ve got to win the big moments.”

We’re a new team, working hard together. Going to continue to work hard. We know if we keep working, improving, we will win those sort of moments. I guess just once we got a bit of front football, made a few silly errors, I guess we started to not do our fundamentals, what we pride ourselves op. That really hurt us in the second half.

Eben Etzebeth is first in front of the microphone.

It’s been an amazing two weeks coming down, getting two victories. It doesn’t happen a lot. The Wallabies are a quality outfit. I think the guys played well tonight and last week. Especially the first half. The shots were firing. We enjoyed it and knew they would come out hard tonight. That’s exactly what they did. Good result in the end.

On Rassie Erasmus making ten changes to the starting XV:

I think he’s a genius. They were great. Obviously the guys off the bench, they came on to finish. It was a good squad this whole tour.

Full-time: Australia 12-30 South Africa

South Africa A can sparkle when it’s dry. South Africa B can grind it out in the wet. Another excellent showing from the Springboks. Another chastening reminder of Australia’s place in the world rugby pecking order.

78 mins: Both sides are tiring and increasingly guilty of skills errors in these horrendous conditions.

75 mins: Australia gain some ground from a canny restart but then gift possession back with a sloppy lineout throw. The Springboks run! Through hands to the right to halfway. Then through hands to the left to the 22. Now Pollard kicks – to the right touchline – and du Toit’s there! What’s he doing out there!? Can he make the final 10m to the line? No! Superb tackle by Koroibete. Inches from the line the big No 7 tries to pop the ball up for a walk-in try but he fumbles it forward. Almost another majestic try for the visitors.

TRY! Australia 12-30 South Africa (Marx, 73)

The Springboks go back to the well. Du Toit accepts the lineout throw, the maul forms, it spins its wheels like a hoon doing doughnuts, and eventually gains traction, steamrolling over the weakened weary Wallabies and Marx flops over for his second try of the night.

Pollard adds the extras.

YELLOW CARD (Australia) Uru, 72

The lineout is solid and the maul looks to be gathering steam until its brought to ground by a gold jersey. Clear yellow card for the culprit, Uru.

72 mins: South Africa gain a penalty advantage on their 22. they expand from left to right and look dangerous but the ball goes to ground in the slippery conditions. The Springboks won’t mind. They get to kick to the left corner.

71 mins: Australia steal South African lineout ball. Uru crosses the gain line, then Hooper. Play stalls but Wilson makes good ground – but doesn’t release after contact and the Springboks win a penalty. Their defence is flawless. Du Toit on that occasion so strong and alert.

70 mins: It’s an uncontested scrum so Koroibete gets a full run-up from first receiver. South Africa stand their ground and one phase later Salakaia-Loto coughs up a turnover and the Springboks clear.

69 mins South Africa think they’ve stolen the crucial lineout but it’s ruled a knock-on and the Wallabies will feed a 5m scrum.

68 mins: The lineout is sharp and the maul is full of intent. It splinters, earns a penalty advantage, and the Wallabies have go-forward. A couple of one-out phases bring them within 5m. Then play expands from left to right, but the connections are slow and the green wall moves out to meet it. Play returns to the original infringement with referee Williams warning the Springboks they’re at risk of a yellow card for repeat infringements. Australia kick to the left corner.

66 mins: Australia win a breakdown penalty after Nortje is penalised for a high shot. The Wallabies kick inside the 22 on the left.

TRY! Australia 12-23 South Africa (Marx, 65)

Again Nortje is the target for the throw. This time the maul forms. And this time a try is unstoppable with Marx the man with the ball in his hands at the base of the mass of green jerseys.

Pollard hits the crossbar from the right touchline!

64 mins: Marx finds Nortje with the throw. There’s an immediate penalty advantage. The maul doesn’t gather momentum, the Springboks chip and chase but Jorgensen is alert to it and play returns to the infringement. Another kick to the right corner.

62 mins: South Africa with the penalty award 30m out bang in front for Lolesio not rolling away from the tackle. They kick to the right corner instead of going for the three points.

61 mins: A quick glance at social media: not a lot of love for Australia’s kick-heavy tactics.

60 mins: It’s all too unstructured for South Africa so they stuff the pill up their jerseys for a couple of phases then launch a bomb that Lolesio spills.

59 mins: Australia win the lineout and Lolesio again goes for the cross-field kick, but this time it’s too heavy for Koroibete.

58 mins: South Africa kick out on the full to gift Australia good field position, but they make little of it. The Springboks clear their lines miles, with a skidding bouncing ball that almost earns a 50/22.

56 mins: Australia win their own throw on halfway. White box kicks, the Springboks let it bounce, but get lucky with the second effort. Williams box kicks to Lolesio who continues his enterprising match by running… into traffic. He gets a second effort after White didn’t like anything in front of him. Both sides exchange kicks as play becomes stretched and unstructured. Lolesio reads the room and goes for the cross-field chip kick – and Jorgensen pouches it on the burst, streaking downfield. He tries the chip and chase over the last defender but the Springbok leaps high and palms a smother that’s grabbed at the second time of asking. Finally some dash from the Wallabies.

55 mins: Somehow, the rain is falling even heavier. The players are barely visible through the curtain of rain.

54 mins: The kick to the 22 on the left sets up a routine lineout and a massive maul! Wow, this is rumbling 10, 15, 20m! There’s a peeling runner hauled down on the line. The Springbok horde continues to press forward and Williams blows his whistle! For a penalty against van Staden! That looked a certain pushover try for South Africa but the Wallabies escape.

53 mins: Marx executes a textbook clutch lineout but Fassi cannot find touch. Australia respond with a kick of their own – cross-field – but South Africa are equal to it. They work through some pick-and go phases from right to left before chaging tack, kicking and chasing across halfway, Williams buying a penalty off Wilson for a soft obstruction.

51 mins: A Mexican Wave rolls around Optus Stadium (a sure sign of audience boredom) as another scrum takes an age to be fed. Australia win their feed and Jorgensen gets his first run in Test rugby. Everything’s narrow on the right channel as the Wallabies try desperately not to make a handling error. Lolesio changes the point of attack with a long cutout to the right but it soon ends in slow grinding ball. White concedes his side doesn’t have the guile to prise open such a solid defence and grubbers to the corner.

50 mins: With all the injuries, HIAs, and interchanges, an Australian scrum on halfway takes an age to be set. Once it’s released Lolesio launches a massive bomb that the onrushing Fassi knocks-on in the air.

49 mins: South Africa win their own throw on halfway. Feinberg-Mngomezulu hoists a Garryowen that chaos panic in the home defence but as the chasers try to capitalise on the bouncing bomb there’s a knock-on.

Jorgensen came on for Paisami, who is nursing a left leg injury. Now James Slipper is leaving for an HIA.

48 mins: Max Jorgensen is on for his Australian Test debut.

PENALTY! Australia 12-18 South Africa (Lolesio, 47)

Lolesio kicked one penalty off the crossbar in the first half, now he scuffs one over off the inside of the right post. They all count, and the Wallabies are back within a converted try.

46 mins: Australia get an opportunity to string some phases together just inside attacking territory. It’s still very narrow and lacking oomph, but it earns a penalty around 40m out just to the left of the posts.

CONVERTED TRY! Australia 9-18 South Africa (van Staden, 44)

The lineout is simple, the maul forms, Australia stabilise initally, but then there’s a second almighty shove and the Wallabies are trampled over. A try is inevitable, it’s just a case of which green jersey emerges with the ball – and it’s van Staden. Classic Springbok rugby.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu curls over a nice conversion to extend the lead to nine points.

43 mins: South Africa win a simple lineout then kick high towards Wright, who marks easily. His clearing kick fails to find touch but the Springbok return is short. Lolesio takes the game on but he’s cut down brutally and is soon penalised on the ground. Australia are marched back 10m for Nic White’s backchat. South Africa kick to the right corner.

41 mins: The Wallabies begin the second half with two new props as Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicks the restart long to Kellaway. White kicks to touch outside his 22.

The teams are back out for the second half. Who will see out the game the better in these awful conditions?

Half-time: Australia 9-11 South Africa

It’s not been pretty, in awful conditions, but Australia will be delighted to remain in the contest after their pummelling in Brisbane. South Africa have left plenty of points out on the sodden Optus Stadium turf, failing to capitalise on a number of fast breaks, but they retain a slender lead heading to the break.

PENALTY MISS! Australia 9-11 South Africa (Lolesio, 40)

Lolesio fluffs his lines from 25m out just to the right of the posts, slicing his effort badly.

40 mins: The lineout 20m from home reaches Wilson on the burst. Bell has a drive, then Wilson again, and he draws the penalty advantage on the ground. Lolesio takes the opportunity to hoist an up-and-under in Koroibete’s direction, but it comes to nought and play returns to the penalty.

39 mins: Australia’s scrum on halfway is reset before White can break. It’s set up for a Lolesio 50/22 kick – and it comes off!

37 mins: Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicks the restart out on the full.

PENALTY! Australia 9-11 South Africa (Lolesio, 37)

From 46m out, just to the right of the posts, Lolesio kicks the ball 46.1m, and watches it graze the back of the dot on the crossbar for three valuable points.

36 mins: Better lineout from South Africa but there’s a fumble a couple of passes infield and Feinberg-Mngomezulu is forced to hack clear. That sets up a kicking exchange that looks to work in Australia’s favour when Lolesio dummies, scampers 20m , then chips and chases. The No 10 is clearly tackled without the ball by van den Berg, but it’s not called in real time. Justice is eventually done after a brief pause and Lolesio accepts the opportunity to kick for goal.

34 mins: After a scrum reset Australia are awarded a free-kick that White belts long downfield.

32 mins: South Africa kick ahead – an awkward wobbling bouncing ball on the try-line – but Paisami does well to scramble and slice clear. The Springboks continue their poor night of set pieces with an attacking throw called for not being straight.

30 mins: Australia with a nice scrum set play, shaping to cut from right to left then flinging the ball to Kellaway on the right. He makes good ground but a couple of phases later South Africa have the turnover. Again du Toit crosses the gain line with menace and the Springboks are soon grinding on the 22.

26 mins: South Africa deal with the treacherous restart and van den Berg clears his lines. Wright does well in the air and allows the Wallabies to build just on the attacking side of halfway. Five phases come and go with little gain – it’s all very narrow and focussed on the shortside. Kolbe reads White’s intentions and picks off the interception, hurtling down the right wing at pace. With Wright in his way, Kolbe checks inside and accepts contact, but he’s too isolated. Koroibete then does well to interfere on the ground with his boot and there’s a green knock-on. Australia escape again.

PENALTY! Australia 6-11 South Africa (Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 26)

At the second time of asking Louw and van den Berg combine well at the base of the scrum to set South Africa in motion. There’s a penalty advantage against Bell for hitting the deck and the Springboks accept the three points. Feinberg-Mngomezulu dabs over from point blank range.

23 mins: Now it’s South Africa’s turn to ramp up the pressure after the restart. Neither side is comfortable claiming the ball in the air or on the ground. White clears to the 22 but the Springboks secure their lineout ball and work through four or five quick one-out phases. Du Toit is busy, driving to the 5m line. Etzebeth flares his nostrils. There’s a storm brewing on Australia’s line – until a gold jersey sticks out an arm and disrupts momentum. The Springboks settle for a 5m scrum in front of the posts.