Lucky Sithole
Watching Siya Kolisi’s tip tackle in the 15th minute was like watching a car crash in the making. It was just so blatant. Being the man he is, he was very apologetic afterwards – but it was just so obvious that he was lucky he didn’t get a red card.
And that’s only the start.
Immediately after that, Australia stroll in for a try that ends up under the posts and by now the red flags are flying.
Handré Pollard now follows this up with one of the worst kicking performances of his life, missing three kicks on the trot. In total the Boks squander ten points at the poles.
Then the final insult. With thirty seconds to go, the Springboks are one point ahead and they have the put-in at the scrum. That’s when the much vaunted Springbok pack collapses, conceding a penalty.
Nobody denies that Quade Cooper can sometimes be extremely variable – but not today. He kicks six out of six and then, after the time is up, he calmly slots a penalty to give the Aussies the win.
All hail Cooper. A worthy man of the match.
Can the Springboks play without Rassie Erasmus? The question remains. The worst sight in a rugby match is a bewildered coach. If you see the match again, look for images of Jacques Nienaber. You’ll see how ugly it is.
Final score: South Africa 26-28 Australia
