Will The Real Wallabies Please Stand Up?

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Who would have guessed that would happen before Saturday's test match?
Who would have guessed Jongi Nokwe would have the honor of being the first Springbok ever to score four tries in a test match?

Most importantly, who would have guessed a team competing for a Tri-Nations title could look that bad?

With little more to play for than a little additional positioning leading to their September 13th matchup with New Zealand, Australia laid out the biggest clunker of a performance from an international power in a long time.

Why did Nokwe have such a big game? Because Australia's defense was crowding around the breakdown whenever South Africa neared the line, leaving massive overloads that any decent team could exploit.

Why did South Africa dominate possession and territory? Two big reasons were Australia's inability to recycle good balls, whether it be from South African counter rucking, or from simply running away from support.

The other reason was the abysmal match played by Adam Ashley-Cooper, who not only constantly kicked away possession rather than attempt a counter attack,  he also constantly kicked it to players like Butch James and Conrad Jantjes, who in turn would burn the Wallabies with their own feet.

Australia looked like one gigantic mess out there. Whether it was a case of an experimental starting 15, poor preperation, or simple apathy among the ranks, the Wallabies got embarrased in Johannesburg. The same Wallabies who just one week ago looked relatively dominant in a victory against these very same Springboks.

And the same Wallabies side who defeated the All Blacks one week, only to get run off the pitch the next week by the same All Blacks.

The Wallabies have been one of the most enigmatic sides I have seen in a long time in rugby. And now, depending on what side shows up in Brisbane on the 13th, the Wallabies could hold the distinction of being the first team to win a Tri Nations title with a negative points differential. It all depends on what team comes to play for Australia, though.

If it is the team that controlled the second half of Bledisloe Cup Match One versus New Zealand, then Australia will be crowned champions.

If it is even remotely close to the team that showed up to play South Africa this weekend, New Zealand will be adding a fourth consecutive title to their collection.