South Africa vs Australia LIVE: Rugby Championship result and reaction as Springboks thrash Wallabies
Australia seek a first win at Loftus Versfeld as Eddie Jones begins his second stint in charge of the Wallabies
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Your support makes all the difference.South Africa put Australia to the sword as Eddie Jones’s second stint in charge of the Wallabies got off to a disastrous start.
Kurt-Lee Arendse’s hat-trick powered the Springboks to a seven-try 43-12 victory in Pretoria as the hosts flexed their strength.
Jacques Nienaber had named a side short of several regular first-choice stars for the Rugby Championship opener, but it mattered not as Australia were blown away.
Showing early attacking ambition and then taking full control with their power game, South Africa produced a statement performance in their first fixture of this World Cup year.
Australia twice had players sent to the sin bin after conceding penalty tries, Dave Porecki shown a yellow card after hauling down a ball before Suliasi Vunivalu’s deliberate knock on denied Arendse a walk-in fourth score.
It leaves Jones with plenty of thinking to do as Australia prepare to host Argentina in Sydney next weekend.
Argentina welcome New Zealand to Mendoza later on Saturday in round one’s other fixture.
Follow all the live updates from the Rugby Championship below:
No try! South Africa 29-5 Australia, 55 minutes
It’s getting ugly for Australia! Manie Libbok collects a loose ball and waltzes under the posts!
Hang on - there’s a hand through on to the ball in the tackle from Pieter-Steph du Toit and that looks like a knock-on. Yep, Brendon Pickerill confirms as much from the TMO truck and the try is chalked off.
South Africa 29-5 Australia, 56 minutes
Dave Porecki’s yellow card necessitates the introduction of Jordan Uelese, the hooker trotting out to pack down. He and his front row mates are in reverse gear at scrum time but Nic White manages to extract the ball just in time.
South Africa 29-5 Australia, 58 minutes
This must all feel strangely familiar to Eddie Jones, on his way to back-to-back batterings by the Springboks after South Africa ended his England tenure in November. There’s a party feel in Pretoria now, the DJ playing a few favourites as the crowd get their boogie on.
Tate McDemott is on at scrum half for Australia, peering over at the latest set-piece skirmish after a forward pass.
South Africa 29-5 Australia, 59 minutes
Australia are faltering in every facet. Steven Kitshoff munches Allan Ala’alatoa and draws a penalty out of the tighthead. Manie Libbok hooks it towards the corner.
South Africa 29-5 Australia, 61 minutes
The maul begins to move but rather collapses under its own weight, South Africa’s forwards perhaps overeager to get to the line and tangling legs.
Plan B, then, Bongi Mbonambi driving around the corner. Wider now, Canan Moodie’s snaking hips trying to charm Tate McDemott - the scrum-half does rather well to hold his position and cling on as Moodie tries the outside. The wing’s infield offload drifts forward.
South Africa 29-5 Australia, 62 minutes
That’s an enormous hit from Duane Vermeulen, positively pulverizing opposite number Rob Valetini as the number eight hurries upfield from the base of the scrum.
Quade Cooper’s clearance fails to find touch, and South Africa run it back. Lukhanyo Am drops ball to boot, stabbing up the left, but Tom Wright covers nicely and the Springboks then infringe at the breakdown.
South Africa 29-5 Australia, 63 minutes
South Africa swap in their replacement front row, messrs Dweba, Du Toit and Koch replacing Kitshoff, Mbonambi and Malherbe. Strong stuff from the starting trio.
Cobus Reinach is still with us at scrum-half, but that’s not his best box kick - drifting on the breeze directly out with Kurt-Lee Arendse’s chase for nought.
South Africa 29-5 Australia, 64 minutes
Richie Arnold is on for an Australia debut, and Zane Nonggor will soon join his fellow first-capper. Here he comes, the tighthead, along with left-sided counterpart Matt Gibbon; Jordan Uelese will also be on for the remainder as Dave Porecki’s period in the sin bin finishes with no sign of the starting hooker’s return.
Not the best start for the new Aussie front row - Gibbon is picked out for walking around under pressure.
South Africa 29-5 Australia, 66 minutes
Cobus Reinach’s day is done, Grant Williams on in his stead at scrum-half. Marco van Staden’s effective evening is also at an end; Deon Fourie replaces him.
A speedy snipe from Williams! Immediate impact from the little nine, rifling past Australia’s guard defenders into the 22.
Pieter-Steph du Toit powers over...held up! RG Snyman offers burly support to his teammate but not enough to get the ball to ground. Desperate defence from Australia.
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