Rampant Australia Outplays South Africa in Adelaide to Secure 25–17 Victory in Rugby Championship

• Australia produced a fast start to take an early lead in their Rugby Championship test match in Adelaide
• South Africa wasted chances when they had them and couldn't cross over the try line until the second half
• Kwagga Smith scored two late tries to save South Africa's blushes and take the Springboks to a 25-17 loss

Australia started the game with all guns blazing when they took on South Africa in the Rugby Championship.

The Aussies were up 10-0 within the first 10 minutes of the game as Fraser McReight dived over the touchline in the second minute of the game.

Noah Lolesio converted the try and then converted a penalty five minutes later. The Boks were shell-shocked but slowly found their way back into the game.

Their first chances of points came in the 15th minute when Handre Pollard butchered a penalty attempt, sending it well wide. Pollard did the same seven minutes later when he missed his second attempt.

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With the Boks playing on the front foot, Pollard got a third chance to score and finally converted a penalty to make the score 10-3.

The Boks played much of the latter part of the half in the Aussie half but were denied by a resilient defence and a dodgy referee call. Makazole Mapimpi was first taken out in a ‘no-arms’ tackle near the try-line before Faf de Klerk was shown a yellow before the end of the first half for ‘hitting’ Nick White in the face.

Faf attempted to swipe at the ball from a ruck and his fingers made slight contact with White’s face. White, doing his best Cristiano Ronaldo impression, milked the situation for all it was worth and pretended as if he was struck harder than he was.

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The referee, after consulting with the TMO, decided that Faf was in the wrong and sent him off.

With the Boks down a man heading into the second half, Australia pounced on the man advantage and scored quite soon after the restart. Marika Koroibete capped off an impressive build-up to dot down and stretch Australia’s lead to 15-3.

Australia then produced a brilliant play to score one again. Lolesio tore through a gap in the Bok defence and sprinted down the field, drawing two Bok players with him. He then produced a flick out the back of his hands into the path of McReight who dived over the try-line. Lolesio converted the penalty to make it 22-3.

The try seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Boks as they seemed to lose their composure after. Lolesio banged over another penalty not long after to take Australia to 25-3.

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The Boks finally scored a try in the 75th minute of the game as Kwagga Smith capped off a good move by the forwards to save some of South Africa’s blushes. Pollard converted the try to make it 25-10. Smith then grabbed a second try in the last minute of the game as the Springboks lost, but saved their blushes a bit with a 25-17 scoreline.

South Africa defeated by New Zealand, but the amazing atmosphere at Emirates Airline Park steals the show

Rugby truly has the power to unite a nation.

This was evident at the Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Saturday as over 61 000 people gathered to watch South Africa take on New Zealand in the Rugby Championship.

While the Springboks ultimately lost the match, the experience and atmosphere were the winners.