ON Sunday morning (AEST) the Wallabies lost their sixth match from eight starts in 2018, after they were kept scoreless by the Springboks in the second half to lose 23-12 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

And one 10 minute period highlighted the Wallabies’ struggles more than any other as Australia remains rooted to the bottom of the Rugby Championship ladder after five rounds.

Unfortunately, from an Australian perspective, it was a 10 minute spell the Wallabies should have dominated and used as the catalyst for victory.

Leading 23-12 after 65 minutes, Springboks winger Aphiwe Dyantyi paid the price for his side’s ill-discipline and was shown a yellow card for playing the ball off his feet at the breakdown.

The numerical advantage should have been the leg-up the Wallabies needed to close the margin and get back into the match.

What occurred instead was a bumbling mistake-a-thon.

The Wallabies completed just 11 phases in the time Dyantyi was off the field.

They lost the ball once at the lineout, twice at the breakdown, made three handling errors and gave away one penalty.

Adding to the frustration, six of the seven blunders came in the Springboks’ half.

But it was Brandon Paenga-Amosa’s lost lineout throw in the seconds after Dyantyi’s yellow card that was the telling moment and triggered a litany of mistakes.

After already turning down a number of shots at goal, the Wallabies kicked for the corner and found touch on the Springboks’ 5m line.

Instead of throwing short or to the middle, Paenga-Amosa goes to the back of the lineout — the hardest target, but the one that gives the Wallabies the most options should they wish to spread the ball and give the backs space, or drive with a rolling maul.

The Wallabies fake the jumper in the middle pod, Adam Coleman — the Wallabies’ lineout caller — retreats back, but is slower into the air and further back than opposite Franco Mostert and is beaten to the ball.

Soon after, Springboks halfback Faf de Klerk clears via a box kick.

His kick, however, is deep and Israel Folau — positioned on the right wing — easily takes the ball.

In front of him, retreating back onside are four of his teammates — backs Bernard Foley, Will Genia and Reece Hodge and hooker Paenga-Amosa — while just behind them are three Springboks forwards in Malcolm Marx, Marco van Staden and Siya Kolisi.

But none of the surrounding Wallabies protect the ball-carrier at the ruck as Hodge attempts to block the opposition, Genia goes into scrumhalf, Foley retreats into position and Paenga-Amosa mistakenly stands back ready to truck the ball forward.

The Springboks, on the other hand, pile into the breakdown and by the time Michael Hooper arrives, the ball has been turned over.

Already, the Wallabies have turned the ball over twice in less than a minute.

Two minutes later, the Wallabies are hot on attack inside the Springboks’ 22m after winning possession back from a Hooper kick and Genia regather.

The Wallabies put together five phases — but fail to get quick, clean ball on any occasion — and had David Pocock not shown ridiculous strength at the ruck, they would have lost the ball one phase earlier.

After managing to secure the ball by the skin of their teeth, Will Genia is tackled at halfback.

Foley is standing less than a metre behind Genia, but waits a split second, hoping another teammate will protect the ball at the breakdown.

But that is all the time Springboks prop Steven Kitshoff needs, as he races to the ruck, puts his hand over the ball, wins possession and by the time Foley and Coleman arrive at the breakdown it’s too late.

Compounding the Wallabies’ third turnover, the Springboks spread the ball to the right edge and winger Cheslin Kolbe races away downfield before being tackled high by Folau 44m out.

The Wallabies, however, earn a reprieve as Handre Pollard kicks the ball dead in goal and therefore get a scrum feed inside the Springboks’ half.

Once again though, the Wallabies fail to make the Springboks pay as Folau drops an offload from Kurtley Beale on the first phase.

Already, five errors in as many minutes.

Almost three minutes later, with time fast running out, Beale gets on the outside of his man and runs over the Springboks’ 10m line.

But once again the Wallabies turn the ball over as Rory Arnold — fresh on the field — drops the ball cold.

It was just the second phase.

The Wallabies’ nightmare period with a numerical advantage comes to an end in the 76th minute as Nick Phipps — with no protection — is tackled when clearing the ball from the ruck and loses possession.

If ever there was a period that highlighted the Wallabies’ lack of confidence and clarity, this was it.