VIDEO: Wallabies got 'massive shock' in Brisbane beating

Australian coach Joe Schmidt admitted his team got a ‘rude awakening’ in the opening match of the Rugby Championship – losing 7-33 to the back-to-back World Cup champion South African team in Brisbane on Saturday.

The Springboks scored five tries to one as they crushed the Wallabies to set the early pace in the Southern Hemisphere championship.

After leading 21-0 at half-time with three converted tries, they crossed twice more in the second period as the Wallabies ran out of steam in the face of a fierce South African assault.

The only Australia try came late in the match when the Springboks were reduced to 13 men – following yellow cards to Malcolm Marx and Marco van Staden.

Schmidt admitted the first-half onslaught had taken its toll on his side.

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“They dominated possession and territory in the first half which sapped the strength out of the boys a little bit,” Schmidt said.

“But the team hung in there and fought back.

“It would have been great to get a little more out of it but we’ve got a benchmark.

“It wasn’t a massive shock to us where the Springboks would be and it’s somewhere we have to build towards.”

It was the Springboks’ first win at Lang Park since 2013 and only their fourth-ever victory in Brisbane.

They went into the match as the firm favourites, ranked No.1 globally compared with the Wallabies at No.9.

And it was soon clear where the ascendancy lay, with the Wallabies appearing stunned by the strength and size of the South African forward pack

“It’s tough learning for our group,” Wallabies captain and prop Allan Alaalatoa said in his reaction after the match.

South Africa pressured Australia in the scrum and line-out and won the breakdown battle.

“They won the physical battle today,” Schmidt said.

“Their breakdown was really strong and they dominated possession and territory in that first half which saps the strength out of the boys a little bit.”

Schmidt singled out lock Nick Frost for his performance.

“I thought he was a champion, worked really hard, did some really good work in the physical areas and I think he can be proud of the effort he put in,” Schmidt said of Frost.

However, the coach revealed Frost, replacement lock Jeremy Williams and wing Filipo Daugunu, who came off in the first half, all suffered knocks.

* Sources: AAP & AFP