The Wallabies' wretched run on the highveld of Ellis Park has continued with the visitors suffering a 33-20 loss to South Africa in Johannesburg.

The win handed the home side the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate as the revered South African - who celebrated his 87th birthday during the week - watched on.

It also kept Australia winless in Johannesburg since 1963 and left coach Eddie Jones without victory in South Africa since taking over the reins of the national side in 2001.

The visitors had high hopes coming into the match after a clinical 30-12 win over the Springboks in Sydney on July 9 but were dismantled by a South African team which featured eight changes from the first encounter.

It may have finished three tries apiece and the South Africans did claim two intercepts but the home side completely dominated.

"We are extremely disappointed, we thought we prepared well but we came out in the first 15 to 20 minutes of the game and we were strangely lethargic for us," Jones said.

"It's one of those mysteries - they definitely played immeasurably better than they did two weeks ago but we still under performed."

Wallabies five eighth Stephen Larkham, who had an unhappy afternoon after his man-of-the-match performance in Sydney, gave the first of the intercepts to centre Jean de Villiers in the 13th minute.

Stirling Mortlock, who will come under the microscope from Wallabies management in the coming days after allegations of an incident in a Stellenbosch nightclub during the week, was guilty of the next stray pass and winger Bryan Habana scored eight minutes later to give the South Africans a 20-3 lead.

Australia enjoyed its best patch of Saturday's match with an extended period of possession in the South African quarter late in the first half with New Zealand referee Steve Walsh awarding the visitors five consecutive penalties.

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