Violent Springboks ambush casts doubt on Wallabies’ Bledisloe hopes

The Wallabies’ trajectory this year has been, like their namesake, steadfastly up and down. Every ascent – the courageous 14-man win in Perth against England, the pounding of the Pumas in Mendoza, the demolition of South Africa in Adelaide – has been followed by a thud, as they come back to earth the following Test with a crushing defeat after a glorious victory.

The inconsistency is infuriating for fans who crave momentum and want to see progress heading to next year’s World Cup on 8 September – now 12 Tests and 12 months away. But the Wallabies have not won two consecutive Tests since 18 September, 2021. That was a return-bout knockout of South Africa, and the chance to repeat it left town on Saturday night when the Australians left the new Allianz Stadium with their tail between their legs.

The Springboks sprang a predictably violent ambush in Sydney to avenge last week’s 25-17 mauling with a savage 24-8 takedown that has coach Dave Rennie greying at the temples. After a week watching YouTube footage of Marika Koroibete scything crossfield to T-bone Makazole Mapimpi, and rejoicing in the rise of two-try hero Fraser McReight and the maturing of Noah Lolesio, Australia fans had an unchanged team for once and a spring in their step. Instead, they walked away with one of the more woeful implosions of recent years.

The night was neatly distilled in Mapimpi’s Revenge. The Springbok winger scored in the 70th minute to seal the win, then got yellow-carded for getting in Koroibete’s face to celebrate, an act of elated spite that sparked an all-in melee.

For once Koroibete was not at his imperious, wrecking-ball best. Nor were most of his mates. Australia’s woebegone effort was filled with bad fumbles, dumb penalties, scrambled