Rugby Championship: South Africa defeats Australia and sends a message before the World Cup

2023-07-08 19:14:58

The Springboks send a (big) message to the French, Irish or New Zealanders. Two months to the day before the start of the World Cup in France (September 8-October 28), the defending champions made a convincing copy against Australia (43-12), on the first day of the Rugby Championship 2023.

With a reshuffled squad because fourteen of its players have already flown to New Zealand to digest the jet lag and prepare for next week’s game against the All Blacks, South Africa have not flinched and is shown to be very offensive, especially by playing quickly on the wings. After a first Australian try from Marika Koroibete conceded at the start of the game (8th, 0-5), the teammates of former Toulonnais Duane Vermeulen quickly regained control of the game in terms of possession and pace and turned the tide quickly thanks to Kurt-Lee Arendse (16th, 8-5).

Kurt-Lee Arendse and feu

And the South African supersonic winger didn’t stop there. Untenable in his lane, he offered himself a hat-trick against adrift Wallabies, flattening along the line twice (30th, 51st). He thus brought his total tries to 10 in eight selections. The Springboks then worsened the score with a penalty try (69th) and a good action concluded by Du Toit (74th).

For its part, Australia, however led by its new coach Eddie Jones, has not known the taste of victory at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria for 60 years. She will have to recover against Argentina, in Parramatta, on July 15th.