HALF 1
00:02 - K/O: S9 fields kick off, passes short to S12. S12 runs straight into A6, with S1 on his inside. As S12 makes contact (ducking his head into the contact) he makes little impact. S1 adds some power from behind, driving behind S12. A5 lends support to A5, and S4 adds to the pile. The Boks are moving laterally in-field and go to ground. S6 is in as well, and guards the subsequent ruck.
01:28 - S9 to S10, S10 high ball inside BOK half which S14 gathers. S12 is following slowly behind. As S14 hits the ground, going to ground, S12 cleans ruck with S6. Aussies don't contest.
03:20 - S9-S10, S10 cut(S12) to S13. S12 follows S13. Cleans ruck but is drive off ruck by A13. S12 re-engages and gets over exposed ball.
04:12 - AUS L/O: After a lot of shuffling A5 drops it to A9 who sends a long flat pass intended for A8. Ball goes beyond him, and bobbles. A12 gathers, and S12 is immediately upon him. A12 drags S12 laterally about a metre before going to ground, carrying on his course to towards the opposite touchline.
06:14 - AUS L/O: Throw to front of lineout, uncontested. A9 long pass out to A10, who brings in S10 opposite him, passes short to A12 in front of S12. A12 is grabbed primarily by S12 and drags him a very long way backwards inspite of S10 assisting S12.
09:05 - Boks employ the S15 chip to the sideline from middle of field. A15 jumps, misses ball knocking it on. Bobbles near touchline, S6 dives catches and spins back passing into abdomen of S12. S12 knocks it on with good support in a dangerous position. S12 cries about an obstruction that never was. If anything, S13 formed a screen preventing a Wallaby from fully reaching S12.
15:53 - AUS L/O: A8 to A12 near the seam. A12 bursts through S10, but does go to ground. He immediately turns to present the ball for a quick recycle. S12 has his hands on A12's back as he is in motion for ball presentation, then shifts back to guard fringe.
16:58 - A3 drives right into S12, and drives him backwards. S13 assists S12, but the momentum cannot be stopped. S12 disengages, retreating until A3 is to ground, takes up position as 3rd man out.
20:22 - RSA Scrum: S9 short to S10 who bursts into the line. S12 cleans ruck.
25:43 - RSA L/O: Boks set up maul. S9 takes it darts towards A10, grubbers behind for S12 to chase and score. S12 gets beaten to the ball and the on rushing S13 fumbles ball. This was perhaps the only useful moment for S12, as he was actually between A12 and A13, ghosting a little more to the inside shoulder of A12. He could have burst through for a try with a careful flat ball.
29:33 - Inside Bok half, A10 chips behind Bok midfield, S12 tracks and gathers cleanly. Play stopped for Wallaby penalty.
31:13 - AUS L/O: Wallabies attack inside Bok 22 with multiple phases. A12 on the fifth phase is ankle tapped by S11, and goes to ground well behind the tackler. He attempts to present ball quickly as he is held down by S15. The ball rolls out a little before A15 drops and protects ball. S12 attempts to win ball, but is held off comfortably.
35:09 - S9 behind POD(4.5.2) to S15 in middle of field. S15 over the top of ducking S8 to S10. S12 is well outside S10, with S6.S14 along touchline. He passes to S12 well in front of drifting Wallaby line. S12 runs a little slower as he approaches A11, passes short to S6 who he pushed out of bounds as he attempts to flip ball back in field. Very lateral play here.
37:15 - AUS L/O: Wallabies set maul. A9 flat to A12, A12 runs at S10 and passes in the face of contact short to A13 who runs right into S12, and drags him back very far before going to ground. Quick clean Wallaby ball.
37:25 - A6 breaks around the fringe and bursts into Bok 22. A6 short to A8. S12 retreats and grabs him around the upper waist and pulls him down from behind.
38:34 - Wallabies attacking hard in Bok 22, A2 loses ball, S12 attempts to gather but play stops for knock-on.
HALF 2
NOTES
20:17 - S3 bellyflop
24:56 - S5 fumbles ball while Boks set maul
31:35 - S5 grabs A8 around the neck and wrestles him to ground. This should have been a card.
40:00 - RSA Scrum: S3 buckles and gets penalised.
SUMMARY
What struck me upon review was the power of Kitshoff on defence in the first half. He was massive on defence, our most physical player from that standpoint. The Boks were run ragged, whilst the Boks on attack were painfully scripted to the point where they really couldn't sum up any situation. It was very poor. The one run by Pollard at 35:09 highlighted how poor the Boks were in their shape. There was no one inside of the Wallaby line to fix anyone. Pollard could have run outwards and had Damian run straight or angle in slightly to fix the edge defender and try create some space, or the Boks could have set up flatter and more condensed inside with Damian much closer to Pollard. When the Boks want width, they are just standing further apart and throwing very slow long passes from far too deep and from static positions. It's very easy to see coming. The more they try to space out like this, the harder it is for them to challenge the defence and they run out of room on the outside. I don't know what's happening on the training ground or team meetings, but it is very far from what should be happening judging by the end product.
On defence, the Boks have too many players who grab on and passively allow the carrier to get behind them. Lots of swinging around the carrier, which allows the offload. The Wallabies by contrast were stopping our bigger carriers, including Thor, right on at the point of contact for a blunt thud and grounding with almost not so much as a millimetre gained.
