Talking points: Lionhearted Cheslin Kolbe helps sloppy Springboks down Wallabies

The Springboks managed to scrape over the line against the Wallabies, winning 30-22 in Cape Town after the humiliating defeat at Ellis Park the week before.

Independent Media's John Goliath looks at the talking points from the bruising encounter at the DHL Stadium.

Sloppy, sloppy Springboks…

The Springboks' engine warning light is still flashing, even though their performance against the Wallabies in Cape Town was an improvement on the Ellis Park outing.

Yes, it was better — they didn’t cough up the ball 17 times, and the lineout worked more smoothly after last week’s dismal 68% success rate. They also capitalised better on their limited entries into the Wallabies’ 22.

But even so, this team looks stuck in third gear. The attack is still stuttering, and it’s the small errors and lapses in accuracy that are holding them back. If they don’t sharpen up, Eden Park in two weeks could be brutal.

Discipline, discipline, discipline…

The Springboks’ discipline is a growing concern — and you can bet it’s driving Rassie Erasmus up the wall.

They're conceding silly penalties: offsides, coming in from the side, even colliding with each other on attack. These basic mistakes are killing their momentum and allowing opponents back into games.

Flankers Marco van Staden and Kwagga Smith, who live right on the edge with their contesting at the breakdown, were two of the biggest offenders this weekend. The Boks need to clean up their act — and fast.

Cheslin Kolbe: The lionheart Springbok...

Build this man a statue. Seriously. It wouldn’t be the tallest, but once you factor in the size of his heart, it’ll be priceless.

Cheslin Kolbe didn’t have much room to work with, but still left his mark — relentlessly chasing high balls, forcing errors, and bravely bringing down players twice his size. His energy and commitment were unmatched. Once again, he was one of the biggest reasons the Boks got over the line.

Etzebeth lit the Boks' fuse in the second half ...

Last week at Ellis Park, the famed Bomb Squad fizzled out like a soggy firework. But in Cape Town, Eben Etzebeth came on and lit the fuse.

He entered the game shortly after halftime and immediately injected energy — disrupting the opposition's box kicks and carrying with serious intent. His physicality lifted the whole pack, and his presence was exactly what the Boks needed.

Frankly, Etzebeth should still be starting Test matches. RG Snyman might be better used as the second-half bruiser.

Wallabies worth watching out for ...

The Wallabies could have won this match — and probably would have — if James O’Connor had packed his kicking boots.

That proved the major difference, as Handré Pollard slotted all his shots and controlled the scoreboard. But there’s a lot to like about this young Australian team. They matched the Springboks physically for two weeks and produced moments of real attacking class.

This is a side on the rise — and with the 2027 World Cup on home soil, they’re starting to look like genuine contenders.