The Boks’ rolling maul set them on their way to victory, throwing Perth against the devout Wallabies

It was not a test for rugby romantics and even for the most prosaic of viewers, this was tough. It was a game that will soon be forgotten as a spectacle. But the result – a 30-12 victory for the Springboks over the Wallabies in Perth – will resonate for a long time as the Boks are on course to win the Rugby Championship.

“The Boks’ rolling maul, at least in the second half, was the defining and decisive aspect of the game.”

It was the first time the Springboks had back-to-back wins over Australia’s Wallabies on back-to-back weekends in the professional era. The Boks also kept the Mandela challenge plaque.

More importantly, however, the four tries scored by the Boks at Optus Stadium ensured they earned a maximum of 10 log points from their first two games of the 2024 Rugby Championship.

They thrashed the Wallabies 33-7 in Brisbane last week and the world champions now have a five-point lead at the top of the table after two rounds.

The match was played in appalling conditions, with heavy downpours throughout the 80 minutes adding to the consistent rain that fell across Perth during the day.

He made the conditions treacherous. And when Australia suffered a host of injuries in the front row and the match was reduced to uncontested scrums early in the second half, they lost even more form.

The Boks’ rolling maul, at least in the second half, was the defining and deciding aspect of the game. Wing Marco van Staden and Malcolm Marx (twice) scored three tries between them after the break to kill the game after defender Aphelele Fassi’s first-half strike.

Mediocre at best

The Boks and manager Rassie Erasmus won’t complain about the result and the five points. But if they are honest in their analysis, despite the conditions and their selections, they have to admit that this performance was mediocre at best.

Flank Pieter-Steph du Toit, replacement scrumhalf Grant Williams, lock Ruan Nortje, Marx and one or two others aside, this was not a game many of the players will be rushing to add to their highlight rolls.

“We’re always happy with a win and to get two bonus point wins here and the fact that all 33 players in the tournament played was fantastic,” said Erasmus after the match.

“The weather was difficult, we lost our captain (Moerat) early to concussion and we made 10 changes to the starting line-up but that didn’t bother the team so all in all it was a nice result.

“There were a few more tries we could have scored so it could have been a bigger winning margin. But we are happy to have won five points, two weeks in a row.

“We would have been happy with the wins, so it was very satisfying, although it wasn’t pretty rugby there because of the conditions.”

Riddled with errors

Mistakes were the major feature of the game, with the Boks spurning two big chances within 90 seconds of each other in the first half, while they also lost three first-half lineouts, struggled to control restarts and even conceded a penalty de mêlée (which was doubtful).

Read more: The Springboks take on the Wallabies in Brisbane to mount a challenge for the Rugby Championship title

Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu spilled a simple pass from Cheslin Kolbe with a clear tryline 20 meters in front of him midway through the first half. Kolbe had worked his way through the initial Wallaby defense from deep in his own half and tried for Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who fired over his lines.

Seconds later, winger Makazole Mapimpi took a poor Wallaby kick and raced into the left corner. Inexplicably, he switched the ball to his right hand and failed to defend against the powerful covering attack of Wallaby fullback Tom Wright. Try denied. It was a mistake an under 10 coach would be unhappy with.

Late in the game, center Jesse Kriel spilled the ball on the tryline after a burst from Pieter-Steph du Toit. It could have been a lot better for the Boks. And so much the worse for the wallabies.

The selection bet

Erasmus’ bet on 10 changes to the Brisbane side came as the Boks got the result they wanted. But the performance was not up to the same high standards they set.

The conditions made it extremely difficult for the new men to assert themselves and send a message to the coach.

Scrumhalf Morne van den Berg struggled in the messy conditions, as did prop Johan Grobbelaar with his throw from the line-out. Grobbelaar, however, was booked loose and won a penalty for the breakdown.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu conceded two first-half penalties and a conversion after the break but also struggled in the conditions, while captain Salmaan Moerat lasted just 20 minutes before injury forced him out of the contest.

Read more: It’s time for the Boks to end their Rugby Championship title drought

Lukhanyo Am’s outing at center center was largely down to defensive work, while Mapimpi and Fassi worked hard off the ball.

It was Mapimpi’s well-executed grab from the left lane for Fassi to run onto that led to the game’s opening try. The scoring started when the Wallabies lost the ball at touch on the Bok 22.

Loosehead prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels picked up the loose ball and moved it to Am, who fed Jesse Kriel, who in turn released Mapimpi. It underlined Bok’s ambition, even in the treacherous conditions.

It was also a snapshot of the Wallabies’ woes. They lost the ball several times in contact. They never looked like scoring a try and were only kept in touch by the Boks’ poor discipline, which allowed Noah Lolesio to take three penalties in the first half.

In fact, Lolesio could have given the home side the lead in the first half with his fourth penalty attempt, but he blasted the ball wide and the Boks held on to lead 11-9.

Preferred Attack Weapon

As the Boks turned the screw in the second half, the penalties increased. And from corner kicks, the Boks were able to turn to the maul as their preferred attacking weapon.

Australia were almost powerless to stop the Bok maul when they set it up with precision.

The Wallabies have some serious rugby issues as this was the most forgettable Bok performance in years and they still won without getting out of third gear.

Australian rugby doesn’t seem to have the forwards to cut it at the highest level and while the Wallabies’ commitment and toil can’t be faulted, they’ve simply had no answer to the Bok’s might over the past two weekends. DM

Markers:

Australia: Penalties: Noah Lolesio (4).

South Africa – Tries: Aphelele Fassi, Marco van Staden, Malcolm Marx (2). Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Handre Pollard. Penalties: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2).