14 MINUTES OF MADNESS: How the Wallabies downed the Boks

The Springboks had 18 minutes of near-perfection at Ellis Park on Saturday. But in Test rugby, it’s not how you start - it’s how you survive the storm. And when the Wallabies found a crack, they didn’t just squeeze through - they blew the doors off.

South Africa’s 22-12 lead early in the second half should have been the launchpad to victory. Instead, it became the setting for a collapse. Four golden chances in five minutes went begging, and what followed was eight minutes of Australian brilliance that turned the game on its head.

Let’s rewind to the turning point.

1.Pieter-Steph Powers Forward, But the Ball Dies

It begins with Nick White clearing the Wallaby line. Aphelele Fassi runs it back, Manie Libbok finds a half-gap, and Pieter-Steph du Toit storms down the sideline. Eben Etzebeth and Ox Nche carry the momentum to within five metres. The crowd roars. But then - silence. The ball is lost on the ground. The opportunity evaporates.

2. Cross-Kick Chaos and a Warning Sign

From a lineout, Franco Mostert wins clean ball. Kwagga Smith charges, Esterhuizen sends Du Toit down the tramlines, and the Boks are rolling again. Libbok tries a cross-kick to Edwill van der Merwe - but it’s Tom Wright who takes it in the air. He knocks on, but had he held it, it was a try 80 metres the other way. A moment that felt like a whisper of what was coming.

3. Scrum Power, But No Finish

The Wright knock-on gives the Boks a scrum. They dominate, win the penalty, and Grant Williams darts through a gap. He’s almost away. But the support lines are messy - Kriel and Libbok are too close, and the offload dies on the turf. Another chance gone.

4. Maul Stalls, Momentum Lost

Libbok kicks to the corner. The Boks set up their only maul of the second half - but it’s static. Esterhuizen nearly collides with Kriel, Marx and Etzebeth punch it up, but Tom Hooper gets over the ball before Nche can clean. The Wallabies clear 40 metres downfield. The siege is over.

Four Chances, No Points

Most coaches will tell you: five scoring chances in a Test match is a luxury. The Boks had four in six minutes. They camped in Australia’s red zone. They dominated possession. And they came away with nothing.

That failure didn’t just deflate the Boks - it inflated the Wallabies. And when the momentum shifted, it didn’t trickle. It flooded.

5. Suaalii Strikes from Nowhere

Kwagga Smith carries again. Libbok throws a speculative pass - Suaalii reads it like a book. He intercepts and sprints away untouched. 22-19. The Wallabies are back in it, and the crowd feels the tremor.

6. Wilson Finishes a Winding Run

A missed aerial contest lands in Wright’s hands. He slips past Moodie, ghosts past Kriel, and runs 40 metres. The offload to Wilson is textbook. What’s not textbook is how Kriel, Willemse, and Libbok all follow Wright and fail to cover the support runner. Australia takes the lead.

7. Jorgensen’s Killer Blow

A hail mary pass beats Kurt-Lee Arendse in the air. Max Jorgensen finds space, steps Libbok with ease, and scores the try of the afternoon. The Boks are flat-footed. The Wallabies are flying.

Six Minutes of Power, Eight Minutes of Pain

From the 44th to the 50th minute, the Boks were in control. From the 57th to the 65th, the Wallabies were unstoppable. Fourteen minutes out of 80 decided the match.

And broke the hearts of 51,000 fans at Ellis Park.