Yes, you can believe the hype: the Wallabies are officially back

The Wallabies have won the penalty count in three of their past four Tests and drew the other one. They have Joe Schmidt’s fingerprints all over them and the players are carrying that out to perfection. It is some feat to do this after losing Dylan Pietsch in the first half and Len Ikitau for 18 minutes of the Test with what looked to be a nasty cut on the knee.

3 Was that the moment that launched Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii?

The Wallabies midfielder had his hands full with the giant Springboks No.12 Andre Esterhuizen in the first half, and it looked like another quiet Test was on the cards. But Suaalii’s intercept try in the second half could be the moment that launches him because he has only scratched the surface of what he’s capable of. It seemed to give him an immediate burst of confidence, and he showed his aerial prowess by grabbing an important Springboks restart shortly afterwards.

It was a big “little” moment in a Test full of them, and a great example of what he can contribute in moments that don’t make the highlights reel. It is difficult for midfielders against South Africa – the space isn’t in their channels – but Suaalii came through the Test positively. As an aside, this was the sort of win that will bring Mark Nawaqanitawase back to rugby before the World Cup in 2027.

Who wouldn’t want to be part of what this squad is building?

4 The Wallabies can play better

The inquest in South Africa was in full swing immediately after the final whistle, with Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus scathing of his own team. There will be endless talk about how they went away from their DNA and played far too much side-to-side rugby, and there is an element of truth in that.

But the Wallabies won’t be too happy with parts of their game. They knew the early box-kick barrage was coming, and they failed to deal with it. Tom Wright knocked on and Jorgensen was beaten in the air. Later in the first half, Eben Etzebeth won the high-ball chase uncontested. It will be the major focus this week in anticipation of the Springboks restoring Handre Pollard to the No.10 jersey and kicking the ball 1000 times.

But the rewards of getting that right are enormous – the Wallabies looked like they could cut the Springboks to shreds on the counterattack.

5 JOC’s strong return

It may have been a blessing in disguise that the Wallabies felt obliged to keep James O’Connor on for the full 80 minutes, with late bench addition Tane Edmed pencilled in for the return Test in Cape Town next week. O’Connor got better with every passing minute, and his experience shone through as the Wallabies started to unpick the Springboks’ suffocating rush defence.

There was a lot of communication passing between the Wallabies’ players in that difficult first half, and O’Connor’s offload to Ikitau to set up Pietsch’s try in the 28th was the first sign that they had worked out the solution.

In fact, so quickly did the Wallabies adapt to the rush that they turned it against the Springboks in the second half. Bell’s short ball for Wilson’s first try exposed the Springboks’ line speed, and by the 65th minute the Wallabies were picking it apart almost at will.

On the back of some front-foot ball – that man Bell again – O’Connor went over the of Springboks winger Kurt-Lee Arendse with a beautiful left-to-right pass and Jorgensen did the rest. That was smart, composed footy from an older No.10 who saw the first-half pictures and responded accordingly.