3. Springbok once again show their stunning strength in depth
In the media Erasmus has spoken of the age profile of his squad, and how younger players need to be gradually phased in. Based on the efforts of today, the conveyor belt of South African test stars is very much in full swing. In the build-up to this match, Erasmus had noted that starter RG Snyman had a foot niggle and said that Ruan Nortje would step up if needed to replace him from outside the 23-man matchday squad.
However, both Snyman and Nortje succumbed to injuries, leading to a pack reshuffle, as Salmaan Moerat joined the bench, Ben Jason-Dixon started at flanker and Pieter Steph du Toit shifted into the second row. All were playing in positions or roles that were unexpected, but all performed to a high standard, particularly du Toit, playing in a position he has rarely played under Erasmus. Outside of the flexibility shown by the above players, Erasmus will be further buoyed by the performances of test rookies Elrigh Louw, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Gerhard Steenekamp.
4. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu shines upon his fly half step up
Although mentioned previously, Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s performance deserves its own focus. With all his previous caps coming from the bench as a utility back, this match was the test to determine whether he has the skills and the mentality to steer this Springbok side in the number 10 jersey.
At just 22 years old he is skilled enough for flyhalf, strong enough to cover the midfield and fast enough for the back three, but rather than a jack of all trades, he is simply proving himself to be a supreme talent. Despite an early penalty miss, his confidence remained high, nailing 4 conversions, kicking out of hand well and even breaking the tackle of the much larger Australia captain Allan Alaalatoa. His arm wrestle for the starting shirt with two-time world cup winner Handre Pollard will be a joy to watch in this tournament.
5. What could this mean for Australia?
Despite a three-game winning streak to start Schmidt’s tenure, the Wallabies inability to fire a shot until South Africa went down to 13 men will bring back memories of the 40-6 loss to Wales in 2023 under Eddie Jones. Losing star flankers and leaders in the build-up to this game in Wright and McReight were a massive loss, but regardless, Australia would have expected to put up more of a fight on home soil. Sweeping personnel changes, a new gameplan or even a call up for proven internationals such as Will Skelton may be required during the Rugby Championship.