South Africa Defeats Australia 33-7 in Rugby Championship

The Wallabies faced a harsh reality check in their Rugby Championship opener, suffering a 33-7 defeat against the Springboks at Suncorp Stadium. Under new coach Joe Schmidt, Australia struggled to match South Africa’s physicality and creativity, managing only a fraction of the Springboks' attacking efficiency. Schmidt acknowledged the experience gap, stating that his youthful squad needs to learn quickly from this loss. The Springboks, showcasing their tactical versatility under new attack coach Tony Brown, executed plays that exposed Australia's defensive weaknesses. With key players potentially injured, Schmidt faces a challenging path ahead, as the teams prepare for a rematch in Perth next week. Rassie Erasmus, coach of South Africa, highlighted the need for his team to improve their ball handling despite the victory.