:shock:
Robbie Deans either has a real problem on his hands or he's just laid the perfect trap for the All Blacks ahead of the Tri-Nations decider in Brisbane in a fortnight. How else could you explain this morning's record capitulation by the Wallabies in Johannesburg?
In a dramatic turnaround from just seven days earlier in Durban, Deans' Wallabies were walloped 53-8 by a rampant Springboks side who ran in eighth tries, including a record haul of four to wing Jongi Nokwe, to complete their record margin of victory over the Australians.
It was in no uncertain terms a good old-fashioned hiding for the Wallabies and in the normal course of events you might even use the words "confidence crisis" ahead of the Brisbane finale against Graham Henry's All Blacks that will decide the Tri-Nations title in a winner-take-all scenario.
But we may never know just how hard the Wallabies tried. Naturally they made all the right noises ahead of a match that was never going to change the realities of Brisbane, and Deans would broker no talk of any easing off of the intensity this week.
But the truth is Deans did make five changes to his starting lineup from that which laid the foundation for the 27-15 victory in Durban last weekend, and the evidence this week was a Wallabies side that pretty much went through the motions for most of this one-sided test match. Their minds seemed elsewhere; and their bodies completed the no-show.
With all that in mind, you wondered two things at the end of a quite bizarre match that was effectively all over after 50 minutes, by which time the Boks had run in their sixth try.
Just how damaging will this be to the Wallabies? Or was Deans just playing an elaborate game of cat and mouse ahead of the Tri-Nations decider?
Certainly it won't have done their psyche any good, given as how they were played off the park by a Boks side which suddenly discovered the art of running rugby. But it would not be a surprise at all to see a different Wallabies outfit altogether run out at Suncorp for a match in which any sort of victory for either side will clinch the silverware.
The Boks had this test in the bag by halftime, with four tries and a commanding 27-3 lead after a freakish spell of rugby that was in total contrast to last week's fare in Durban.
Nokwe secured the honour of becoming just the second South African to score a test hat-trick against the Wallabies, all inside the opening stanza when premo opportunities flowed his way with uncanny frequency.
Big lock Andries Bekker actually had the Boks' first try of the match after eight minutes when he steamed through on the angle to take Conrad Jantjes' nice offload for an early 7-3 lead.
But thereafter it was the Nokwe show, with the young winger, in just his third test match, crossing for tries in the 13th, 25th and 36th minutes to sit the Australians well and truly on their backides.
It was no exaggeration to say, amidst this carnage, the Wallabies were in disarray. There was a tighthed against them, three blown lineouts at key moments and some defence right out of the turnstile school of effectiveness. The Boks seemed able to work the phases at will as they ran rampant.
Nokwe's first score came after Matt Giteau coughed up an error trying for a quick 22 restart, and the Boks made him pay with some punishing play in possession; the second followed a crunching tighthead and again featured some fine lateral passing; and the third saw the South Africans cash in on a poor Wallaby defensive lineout with Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers going close before ball was again shifted left with pinpoint accuracy.
The Australians were toast 10 minutes into the second spell, by which time centre Adrian Jacobs and Noke (again, for his fourth) had crossed to take the lead out to 39-3. The wing's last touchdown proved a bittersweet moment, with the flyer injuring his ankle in the scoring move that saw him become the first Bok to notch a quartet against the Wallabies.
From there on it was semantics only. Drew Mitchell grabbed a consolation score for the Wallabies and Odwa Ndungane completed the rout for the Boks who well and truly re-established the pride factor after a disappointing three losses on the trot and back-to-back on home soil.
It was impressive stuff from the South Africans who dominated all phases of the match. Their loosies had a field day, Victor Matfield returned to form in the second row, the Boks scrum was strong and there was no mistaking the individual star of a sparkling backline.
For the Australians, it was a day to forget. Certainly one when they never really had their heads on the task at hand.
It's fair to say their focus will be a lot more intent in a fortnight in Brisbane. If the All Blacks, still one point ahed of the Australians on the points table, read too much into this display, they could well have fallen into a Deans-sprung trap. They surely won't.
South Africa 53: Andries Bekker, Jongi Nokwe 4, Adrian Jacobs, Ruan Pienaar, Odwa Ndungane tries; Butch James 3 cons, pen; Percy Montgomery 2 cons.
Australia 8: Drew Mitchell try; Matt Giteau pen.
Ht: 27-3.
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