The South African mentality is big on abrasive obstinacy as a dominant characteristic. We saw this in the determined manner in which the Springboks fought their way back into the Test at Pretoria after giving up 14 points in the opening minutes. And also in the way Victor Matfield played out the full 80 minutes of his 100th Test.

Spiro Zavos, Australian Journalist

John Smit, who achieved 100 Tests a week earlier, missed a tackle on the last play of the Test that led to the All Blacks scoring their winning try. This time the obstinacy was rewarded with Matfield stealing some crucial lineouts from Wallabies throws near the Springboks try line near the end of the match.

Matfield is the 16th player to record a century of Tests, a considerable achievement even today. George Gregan’s 139 Test caps might never be equalled. The great halfback’s numbers are so far ahead of anyone else that it confirms the complaint that he played on too long for the Wallabies.

Bismarck du Plessis should replace Smit as the Springboks hooker for next year’s World Cup. The case of Matfield is less clear. He is (like Smit) a passenger around the field. But he did organise the crucial lineout steals that stopped the Wallabies attack. While he can still do this he will be retained in the side, possibly as the captain if Smit goes.

While the Springboks might have one too many Test veterans, the Wallabies suffer from a lack of them, and the rugby nous they bring. In Pretoria, the Wallabies failed to capitalise on their brilliant start. It is inconceivable that the lead would have been blown had Gregan, Stephen Larkham and George Smith been playing. No one in the Wallabies back line (or the captain Rocky Elsom) seemed to have a clue about entrenching the opening surge.

When the Wallabies were leading 21-7, the obvious tactic was to use Plan B – at altitude you can kick the ball great distances. It is the best time for some dropped goals, too.

Another worry is that there does not seem to be a plan to cover Quade Cooper’s tackling weaknesses. The Springboks came back into the Test by running through Cooper’s channel. The Springboks scored five tries in Pretoria. The All Blacks, in five Tri Nations Tests, have given up only seven. In the era when Gregan and Larkham were at their best, under coach Rod Macqueen, the Wallabies conceded a little more than a try a Test.

Cooper’s attacking and passing flair are not enough to win Tri Nations Tests, let alone a World Cup. It’s time for the Wallabies to go back to the Macqueen era and have a dedicated defensive coach.