The Boks conceded 38 points without scoring themselves after being 22-0 up early in the game.
South Africa’s Springboks suffered an unexpected 38-22 defeat in their Rugby Championship opener against the Australian Wallabies at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Wallabies, recent 2-1 series losers to the British and Irish Lions, powered back from an early 22-0 deficit inside 20 minutes to keep the Boks scoreless in the last 60 minutes of the match.
The visitors scored six unanswered tries in that period to open their campaign in the best possible way.
This was just the second time the Wallabies have won at Ellis Park, the other victory coming way back in 1963.
The Boks had gone into the game on the back of four wins, against the Barbarians, Italy (twice) and Georgia, while the Wallabies were battle-hardened following their tough series against the Lions.
The teams meet again in Cape Town this coming weekend, before the Boks take on New Zealand in two away Tests and end their Rugby Championship with home and away matches against Argentina.
Below is how The Citizen covered the match.
Springboks v Wallabies — LIVE UPDATES
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TEAMS
Springboks: Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe, Jesse Kriel, André Esterhuizen, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Manie Libbok, Grant Williams, Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Marco van Staden, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche. Bench: Bongi Mbonambi, Boan Venter, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Canan Moodie, Damian Willemse.
Wallabies: Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch, James O’Connor, Nic White, Harry Wilson (c), Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper, Will Skelton, Nick Frost, Taniela Tupou, Billy Pollard, James Slipper. Bench: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tane Edmed, Tate McDermott, Andrew Kellaway.
