Eddie’s Era Starts with Disaster: Humiliating Rugby Championship Debut

In a nightmare start for coach Eddie Jones, the Wallabies were handed a humiliating defeat by a second-string Springboks team in their first Rugby Championship test. Australia's 43-12 loss in Pretoria raised concerns and left the team searching for answers early in Jones' tenure.

The Eddie Jones era with the Wallabies began on a sour note as Australia faced a humiliating defeat in their first Rugby Championship test since the renowned coach's return. The Wallabies were thumped 43-12 in Pretoria, and to make matters worse, this loss came against a second-string Springboks team.

Prior to the match, Jones had dismissed the South Africa side as "half baked," criticizing their decision to send many of their star players to New Zealand ahead of the game to acclimatize for an upcoming clash with the All Blacks on July 15. However, Jacques Nienaber, the opposing coach, had the last laugh as he predicted that his weakened side would be good enough to secure a victory and start the season on a positive note.

The Springboks dominated the match, with winger Kurt-Lee Arendse scoring a hat-trick of tries. They cruised to a bonus-point triumph after recovering from conceding an early try and took a commanding 17-5 lead at halftime. Two-time World Cup winner Tim Horan, commenting on the match for Stan Sport, labelled it a disaster for Eddie Jones in his debut Test match in charge.

Prop James Slipper, who shared the captaincy with flanker Michael Hooper in a first for the Wallabies, refused to make excuses after their second heaviest loss in Pretoria. He acknowledged the relentless pressure applied by the Springboks and admitted that the Wallabies did not cope well with it. Slipper vowed to learn from the defeat, recognizing that despite the tough start to the international season, there is still a long road ahead for the team, and they will continue working hard to improve.

A lack of discipline proved costly for the Wallabies, as David Porecki and Suliasi Vunivalu both received yellow cards and conceded penalty tries in the second half. This further put Australia on the back foot and contributed to their heavy defeat.

The Wallabies find themselves in a desperate search for answers, having lost nine out of their 13 Tests last year. The team needs to regroup and address their weaknesses to improve their performance in future matches.

On the other hand, South Africa's captain and No. 8, Duane Vermeulen, stood in as skipper for the injured Siya Kolisi. Vermeulen praised the tremendous support of the 50,000-strong crowd at Loftus Versfeld and expressed his pride in the team's unexpectedly convincing victory. Maintaining a perfect record against Australia at the Pretoria ground with their eighth victory since 1963, Vermeulen credited the crowd for inspiring the players.

Vermeulen acknowledged that South Africa had plans for the game but were uncertain about what to expect from Australia. He commended Eddie Jones, the Wallabies' coach, suggesting that Jones might have had a few surprises up his sleeve. Nevertheless, the Springboks adapted well, played to their strengths, and put on a satisfying performance, despite Vermeulen believing that there is room for improvement.

Looking ahead, South Africa faces title-holders New Zealand in their next match, while Australia hosts Argentina on the same day. The Rugby Championship has been condensed from the usual six matchdays to three this season due to the upcoming World Cup, which kicks off in Paris on September 8.

In summary, the Eddie Jones era for the Wallabies got off to a disastrous start with a humiliating defeat against a second-string Springboks team. Australia will need to address their weaknesses and learn from this defeat as they strive to improve their performance in the upcoming matches. Meanwhile, South Africa celebrated an unexpected victory and looks forward to facing New Zealand in their next challenge.

The Wallabies' Rugby Championship debut under Eddie Jones turned into a disaster as they suffered a humiliating 43-12 defeat against a second-string Springboks team. Australia's struggles and lack of response to the Springboks' pressure left them with many questions to address moving forward.