South Africa's humbling defeat to Australia should be a cause for great concern for the reigning World Champions, according to Rob Houwing of Sport24.
"Let’s not beat about the bush: this was a heavier defeat for the under-strength Springboks than most of us would have wished.
"I wrote earlier this week that the Samoan reverse for the Wallabies had been an ominous development from a Bok point of view, because of the backlash likelihood at ANZ Stadium – and it came, alright.
"Australia produced some of their most compelling, trademark ball-in-hand play as they ran in five tries en route to a 39-20 Castle Tri-Nations win, and when they banked the bonus point as worrisomely early as the 48th minute, uncomfortable memories of 49-0 in Brisbane five years ago flickered anew for South Africans.
"There’s a case, too, for saying that the game as a whole should best be judged on roughly that chunk of the match, because its one-sidedness put the Wallabies in a position to begin pulling off key customers for challenges ahead; rhythm and continuity was affected as a result.
"And up to that point and a little beyond it, there had been more than enough evidence for supporters of the World Cup champions’ cause to shake their heads in trepidation and depression."
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