South Africa vs Australia LIVE: Rugby Championship result and reaction as Springboks thrash Wallabies

Willie le Roux punts safely to touch off his left peg, his clearance kick nicely flighted and drifting out beyond halfway.

Bosh! An early involvement from Reece Hodge, bashing into Bongi Mbonambi and leaving the hooker sprawled on the carpet. Powerful stuff from the centre.

Superb from Marco van Staden. The flanker is standing in for Siya Kolisi on the openside with the Springboks skipper still some weeks away from a return from injury, and that’s picture perfect turnover technique, limpeting over the top as Australia get their ruck detail wrong.

Manie Libbok fancies an early sighter - 55m from right of centre. The ball will carry at altitude...

But not far enough! It looked a clean strike from Libbok, but it tumbles down a couple of metres shy of the crossbar.

A useful gauge of range, though, for the first-time starter.

Willie le Roux chips out on the full as South Africa try to work a move up the blindside, but atones for his error immediately, tracking a Reece Hodge spiral bomb perfectly to defuse it after the inside centre had launched a skier off first phase ball.

The Pretoria skies get a peppering as both sides settle into their kicking patterns. Duane Vermeulen chases well and collects smartly as a box kick comes down.

That’ll annoy Eddie Jones - Tom Wright saunters up a blind alley, leaving himself trapped against the touchline with nowhere to go. He’s a little lucky that a stray Springboks mitt knocks the ball from his hands into touch, granting hooker Dave Porecki the throw.

Australia strike early!

Out of nowhere, the Wallabies lead. South African hands disrupt an Australia lineout but Allan Alaalatoa reacts sharpest, hustling through on to the loose ball. The Springboks are scrambling, space apparent out wide and found brilliantly by Quade Cooper’s rainbow pass.

From there, it’s just pure gas - Marika Koroibete presses pedal to the metal and few can match his top speed. Andre Esterhuizen dives desperately but can’t claw him back.

Reece Hodge misses his first attempt from the tee.

That was just a little loose on the right edge defensively from South Africa, not adjusting quickly enough after Jean Kleyn had got his paws on Dave Porecki’s lineout throw.

Can they hit back? They earn good possession near the Australia 22, working through the phases and drawing penalty advantage. Canan Moodie puts some footwork on...ooh, that looks a little bit nasty from Marika Koroibete, dropping a tucked arm into the Springboks wing as he’s tackled.

The officials are content Koroibete’s challenge is legal. Back for the penalty, for offside. This should be a simple three for Manie Libbok.

Manine Libbok is on the board as a test starter. Tucked through with little fuss from 25 metres out.

Clelver from Lukhanyo Am, releasing and going again after Australia initally bring the centre to ground. A deft offload to Bongi Mbonambi keeps things moving as South Africa show some ambition inside their own half.

And here they come! Marco van Staden brushes off a couple of would-be tacklers before Canan Moodie makes a break...

And Kurt-Lee Arendse ambles in!

South Africa have come to play. They get a little bit of luck after Canan Moodie is hauled down on the right, a pull-back pass from Bongi Mbonambi shuffling in and out of Manie Libbok’s hands, but it’s clearly backwards, and there are still numbers there to capitalise. Andre Esterhuizen tosses to Arendse, who makes it eight tries in eight tests - and Libbok adds the extras.

Australia are carved open again! The Wallabies’ wide defence is all over the place so far, Manie Libbok unable to believe his eyes as a great chasm opens up in front of him, a little shimmy as he scurries into it. Libbok looks for Canan Moodie on the outside but the passing lane is blocked, and a fumble on the floor from the fly-half ends another promising position.

Clear intent to attack from the Springboks, though - and it’s working so far.