UK Edition
Eddie Jones snaps at ‘smart arse’ reporter after Springbok ‘B team’ hammer Australia
By Daniel Schofield
Eddie Jones snapped at a reporter and repeatedly called him a ‘smart arse’ after the first match of his second coming as Australia’s head coach began with a chastening 43-12 defeat by the Springboks.
It was put to him that South Africa were far from full strength by a reporter, who said: “You expressed your disappointment during the week that you were not playing the first-choice Springboks side. Have you changed that feeling to relief now?”
Jones snapped back: “You don’t have to be a smart arse mate. We were well and truly beaten by a Springboks side that our mate is calling the B-team. Now we have a new term. We will front up next week.”
Just as Jones’s reign as England head coach ended with a 27-13 defeat by South Africa, so his second debut as Wallabies boss began with a emphatic 43-12 defeat at Loftus Versfeld.
Any ‘bounce’ that Australia were anticipating in the brutal defenestration of Dave Rennie to make way for Jones lasted just eight minutes, the time in which Australia led through Marika Koroibete’s try. There followed 43 unanswered points. With a couple of scores ruled out and several Springbok handling errors, it could easily have been 60.
Many fine sides have fallen to heavy defeats in Pretoria but of particular concern to Jones – and indeed all of world rugby – was this was largely a South Africa B side with 12 of their big guns held in reserve for their match against the All Blacks.
Yet the bit-part men played like giants. Marco van Staden, the former Leicester flanker, and Harlequins centre Andre Esterhuizen were simply sensational but both will be lucky to get into the Springbok 23 in France. Wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, meanwhile, highlighted why he could be a breakout star of the tournament with a hat-trick of tries. Bearing in mind their missing men, the Springboks are simply scary.
Australia, by contrast, were a shambles. They conceded 13 penalties, including two penalty tries with both Dave Porecki and Suliasi Vunivalu paying a further price with 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
When Australia were not being pulverised on the gain line, they were chasing shadows, spending nearly the entire second half in their own half until Carter Gordon led a breakout try in the final act of the game. Quade Cooper threw a sublime pass in the build-up to Koroibete’s try but made just nine passes in total.
It was hard to say that any of Jones’ selection gambles, such as Tom Hooper, who suffered a first-half shoulder injury, and Vunivalu, were vindicated or otherwise, but so few Wallabies finished in credit. Even usually titanic figures such as Michael Hooper were slipping off tackles as South Africa broke through the Wallabies defensive line at will, making 15 linebreaks in total.
The giant figure of Will Skelton was supposed to add ballast to the Wallabies pack but they were dominated in the contact area – with their ball carriers being knocked backwards – and demolished at the scrum. The Springboks also pulled off a beautifully constructed line-out move with Van Staden and Bongi Mbonambi combining to exploit an unguarded blindside that Arendse capitalised upon.
With their back line living off scraps, it was hard to discern what the Wallabies’ back line was trying to achieve beyond kicking the ball high into the thin Pretoria air. Cooper summed up their night when he kicked the ball straight into touch from a goal-line dropout. That resulted in rugby league convert Vunivalu, whom Jones tipped to become the best winger in the world, getting sin-binned and conceding a penalty try for a deliberate knock-on. Those were just a couple of about two dozen errors.
The Springboks too were not error free and had they been in slightly more clinical mood and their handling slightly sharper then it would have got really ugly. Never mind Wales, both Fiji and Georgia will be fancying their chances of progressing at their expense in Pool C.
It should be said that the Rugby Championship tends to throw up odd results in World Cup years and that Jones has only had a matter of weeks working with this group of players. But with 60 days now until the World Cup gets under way, the Wallabies look miles off the pace.
It already feels as if victory against Argentina at the CommBank Stadium in Parramatta is necessary to restore the feel-good factor that Jones’s appointment initially inspired Down Under. Another defeat would make it a shorter honeymoon than George Osborne is set to enjoy.
South Africa destroy Australia – as it happened
Slipper talks
This most be the thing a captain dreads most. After being on the receiving end of a drubbing, you then have to do a post-match interview. Fair play to Australia co-captain James Slipper, who fronts up and is speaking to the media. He spoke about the two sin-bins costing Australia in that second half. But honestly even without those two sin-bins this was an incredibly comfortable victory for South Africa.
TRY Australia and full-time
South Africa 43-12 Australia
It has been a miserable day in Pretoria for Australia but they end the game with a try from replacement fly-half Carter Gordon as Australia break from their own half and score a consolation try. Very much the definition of a consolation try. Gordon converts his own try and that is full-time. Utter, utter domination from South Africa. That is what you call a pummeling.
78mins: South Africa 43-5 Australia
Another penalty advantage for the South Africa scrum. It is so dominant. South Africa’s scrum dominated with their starting front-row and have continued to do so with their options off the bench. Look at the players they have brought off the bench; Koch, Dweba, du Toit, Snyman, Roos. That is why they are called the Bomb Squad. Huge impact.
TRY South Africa!
South Africa 43-5 Australia
This is just so easy for South Africa and frankly embarrassing from Australia. The home side go through the phases inside the Australia 22 and in the end it is an easy pick-and-go for Pieter-Steph du Toit right on the Australia line to extend South Africa’s advantage. Libbok’s conversion is succesful.
74mins: South Africa 36-5 Australia
This has been like watching men against boys. There has been a huge gulf in class between the sides. Australia have been terrible, but South Africa have been very impressive, which is ominous for their rivals going into the World Cup. And remember how many top-class players they have sent to New Zealand for next week’s game.
58mins: South Africa 29-5 Australia
There have been changes for both sides. RG Snyman has come onto the field for South Africa replacing Orie. For Australia Uelese has had to come on at hooker with Porecki sin-binned and Samu has had to temporarily make way. Also Skelton has made way for Arnold and Kerevi has come on for Hodge.
PENALTY TRY South Africa!
South Africa 29-5 Australia
The TMO review rules that Australia hooker David Porecki has illegally pulled down the maul and he is sent to the sin-bin as well as a penalty try being awarded. This is utter domination from South Africa. That was the bonus point try and now 29 unanswered points.
53mins: South Africa 22-5 Australia
South Africa are utterly dominant here and they have another penalty for an illegal tackle on Le Roux. The kick then goes right into the corner. Another try-scoring opportunity for South Africa. They get the rolling maul going and it looks certain to be a try but referee Ben O’Keefe deems it is held up. However, the touch judge has asked O’Keefe to send it to a TMO review for a potential collapsed maul...
TRY South Africa!
South Africa 22-5 Australia
Arendse has a hat-trick or has he? The try has been given as the diminutive winger goes over in the corner but has Lukhanyo Am’s pass to him gone forward? The TMO is having a look. Try is good. The replays show the ball went backwards out of Am’s hands and there is no issue with the awarding of that try. South Africa got really quick ruck speed there, which was crucial to that try being scored. The conversion is unsuccessful from Libbok.
Half-time views from Daniel Schofield
Ouch. That was utterly brutal from Eddie Jones’ perspective. Whatever clever plans he had up his sleeve for his first match back in charge of Australia were rendered redundant by the Springboks’ dominance of the galinline on both sides of the ball. Even with big Will Skelton back in the Wallabies’ ranks, Australia could not match South Africa’s physicality in the first half with Pieter Steph du Toit, Marco van Staden and Andre Esterhuizen particularly impressive. Fly half Quade Coooper, aside from a beautiful pass for Koroibete’s opening try, has barely touched the ball. Time for Eddie to earn his corn at halftime.
What will Eddie Jones make of that?
Australia got off to the best possible start through that Koroibete try. But from that point South Africa have completely dominated. Australia have barely thrown a punch so far. Is this exactly why England sacked Eddie Jones, despite being so close to a World Cup? What can Australia do in this second half? Has anyone seen Quade Cooper, who is supposed to be playing fly-half for Australia but has not been seen yet at the Loftus Versfeld?
40 mins: South Africa 17-5 Australia
It looked like Australia might kick the ball out for half-time from a scrum inside their own half but they play on. They are rewarded for playing on as they get a penalty. Hodge is going to go for goal, and I think it is fair to say he is miles out. Quite far into his own half. But remember Hodge has a massive boot on him and they are at altitude...
TRY South Africa!
South Africa 17-5 Australia
And South Africa punish them for a poor clearance. Orie takes a great catch at the line-out and South Africa break down the blindside through van Staden. He offloads to Mbonambi who sends Arendse down the touchline for his second try of the game. Libbok’s conversion from the touchline is successful.
29 mins: South Africa 10-5 Australia
South Africa have a penalty advantage from a scrum inside their own half and they use that advantage. Esterhuizen breaks really well into the Australia and re-gathers his own kick. He offloads to du Toit but Australia turn the ball over. The kick away is not good though and Australia are still under pressure...
25 mins: South Africa 10-5 Australia
Australia have a penalty in mid-field just inside the South Africa half. A good opportunity for Australia to reduce the gap to two points. But Hodge, who missed his first kick of the day, drags his kick to the left of the post. That is already five points Hodge has left out there.
TRY South Africa!
South Africa 10-5 Australia
South Africa have reacted well to going behind and they now lead. The move is set up by a great pass out wide by Willie le Roux to Moodie. South Africa enter into the Australia 22 and ship the ball left. The ball does hit the ground but South Africa recover it and it leaves an easy finish for Arendse. Libbok’s conversion is successful.
11 mins: South Africa 0-5 Australia
Almost immediately after the kick-off, South Africa win a scrum. They are dominant at the scrum but are asked to play it. South Africa have a penalty advantage for offside and cannot do anything with that advantage. So South Africa will kick for goal in front of posts.
TRY Australia!
South Africa 0-5 Australia
Australia strike and score the first try of the game through Marika Koroibete. Initially from their own line-out on halfway, Australia lose it but regain possession quickly. The ball is then shipped out wide and Tom Wright passes onto Koroibete, who has enough speed to get in the corner. A great start for Australia in Eddie Jones’ first game in charge of his second tenure. Reece Hodge misses the touchline conversion.
National anthems
It is time for the anthems. First up it is Australia’s “Advance Australia Fair”, followed by South Africa’s “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika”. The atmosphere is incredible inside the Loftus Versfeld, which is bathed in sunshine.
South Africa send players ahead to New Zealand
South Africa have decided to send a group of players ahead to prepare for their game against New Zealand next Saturday. Those players are Malcolm Marx (hooker), Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager (both locks), Franco Mostert and Jean-Luc du Preez (both utility forwards), Kwagga Smith (loose forward), Faf de Klerk (scrumhalf), Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi (both wings), Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel (both centres), and Siya Kolisi (back-row).
Jasper Wiese (loose forward) will join those players in New Zealand following the birth of his child.
Full team news
South Africa: 15. Le Roux, 14. Moodie, 13. Am, 12. Esterhuirzen, 11. Arendse, 10. Libbok, 9. Reinach, 1. Kitshoff, 2. Mbonambi, 3. Malherbe. 4. Kleyn, 5. Orie, 6. van Staden, 7. du Toit, 8. Vermeulen
Bench: 16. Dweba, 17. du Toit, 18. Koch, 19. Snyman, 20. Roos, 21. Fourie, 22. Williams, 23. Willemse
Australia: 15. Wright, 14. Vunivalu, 13. Ikitau, 12. Hodge, 11. Koroibete, 10. Cooper, 9. White, 1. Slipper, 2. Porecki, 3. Alaalatoa, 4. Frost, 5. Skelton, 6. Hooper, 7. Hooper, 8. Valetini
Bench: 16. Uelese, 17. Gibbon, 18. Nongorr, 19. Arnold, 20. Samu, 21. McDermott, 22. Kerevi, 23. Gordon
Fascinating Rugby Championship ahead
As I mentioned earlier, these are the final preparations for the southern hemisphere sides ahead of the World Cup. There are so many intriguing storylines going into the Rugby Championship, so to find out more read Ben Coles’ preview of the tournament here.
Sacked by England, brought in by Australia
Sacked by England late in 2022 after a dismal Autumn Nations campaign, Eddie Jones took the reins at Australia after Dave Rennie was also sacked. This is Jones’ second tenure as Australia head coach. Will he make England regret their decision to sack him. Instead of preparing for England’s warm-up games, he is instead preparing his Australian side for the Rugby Championship, starting in Pretoria this afternoon against South Africa. Let’s hear what he has had to say ahead of the game:
Preparation steps up a notch for the World Cup
With the World Cup just two months away, the Rugby Championship takes on added meaning this year. These are the final few games before the group stages commence in France in September. The first game comes from Pretoria as South Africa host Australia at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium. We will also be covering Argentina’s game against New Zealand later this evening. This is a shortened version this year due to the World Cup, so instead of six games (home and away against each side) we have just the three.
South Africa are defending World Cup champions and are looking to defend their crown. The last time we had a truncated Rugby Championship in a World Cup year, South Africa were victorious, winning twice convincingly and drawing against New Zealand in Wellington. That year, not only did South Africa win the Rugby Championship, they went on to lift the Webb Ellis trophy as they won the World Cup in Japan.
For Australia, it is all change since the last time they played an international game as Dave Rennie has been replaced by former England coach Eddie Jones. This is the first Australia team he has selected in 18 years. How much difference can Jones make considering he will only have a few games to work with his new players before the World Cup gets underway? Having replaced Rennie within the 12 months of the start of the World Cup, Australia will be hoping for a bounce under new management.
Last year’s Championship was won by New Zealand, just a point clear of South Africa. This is where things start to get really serious, with the World Cup firmly on the horizon.