In the interests of Australian rugby, I've been wearing the beer goggles all week. And I must say, you're all very attractive.

That aside, by peering into my half-consumed beverage, sometimes for very long periods much to the distress of the nice people next to me, I've managed to gain unique insight into the Wallabies' Tri-Nations opener against South Africa in Brisbane on Saturday.

Yes, beer truly is a magical elixir.

Initially, as I lock eyes on the lager, I see flashes of backline magnificence with very small Australian men running enormous South African beasts ragged, slipping through their legs and hiding up their green shirts before scurrying over for numerous tries. A voice comes to me at that moment and says: "You're drooling, you'll have to leave" then another voice comes to me and adds: "We will call this the glass half-full version of Saturday's game."

Hmm. Faced with the prospect of this likely being my last rugby-dream-inducing thirst quencher, certainly at this fine establishment for some time, I peer with even more intensity at the booze, seeking another layer of insight. What I see I cannot reveal in its entirety for fear of mentally scarring you dear reader(s). Suffice to say, it is the glass half-empty theory.

If there's any justice to be done in this harsh world full of pointless conflict, self-concern and $8 beers, it will be a Wallaby performance at Suncorp that reflects the extreme potential of this Australian side and offers overdue reward to coach Robbie Deans

for his concerted effort to build depth and a positive on-field approach in a very young squad.

In this vision, the return of Benn Robinson helps shore up the Wallabies' promising front row and they hold their own against the Boks in the scrum, despite the Springboks fielding a pack verging on the size of a Packer-family sea vessel.

Gutsy Saia Faingaa is in everything for 60 minutes before making way for world class hooker Stephen Moore, completely recovered from having his jaw smashed into a million pieces a few weeks ago. From the second row, Dean Mumm defies science by carrying over the advantage line four out of five times, complementing workhorse Nathan Sharpe and willing No. 8 Richard Brown.

Getting a fair share of the ball and with the tight five doing their job, Rocky Elsom can stand a pass wider of the ruck than usual and delights at charging at the Boks' inside backs.

At the breakdown, David Pocock is always the first non-tackler on site, menacing the slower, larger South Africans and leaving mysterious Irish referee George Clancy no choice under the new law interpretations but to punish the Springboks for repeatedly holding on, or slowing the pill. Clancy, of course, prefers not to blow the whistle too often in general play, encouraging both sides to seek reward by playing positive attacking footy.

The Wallabies also pick wisely their moments to counter ruck and when they commit they commit fully, perhaps opening spaces for the Boks out wide, but never allowing the South Africans the luxury of exercising poise and maintaining shape in attack.

Will Genia's service from the base is lightning fast and the Australians abandon the concept of forward pods being used to graft it up, opting instead to run, run, run -- wrapping to the blind side, bringing wingers and running forwards into play close to the ruck with inside passes -- continually, swiftly changing the point of attack.

Adam Ashley-Cooper takes every high kick from the Boks (including the thousands meant for tiny-weeny James O'Connor) and runs it back at them, supported by O'Connor and Drew Mitchell, playing like a man who actually values wearing a national team jumper.

Every kick is an attacking kick and the Wallabies rarely plonk it into touch. When they do, they compete on the Saffers' throw and the variations in their own lineout (quickly taken, to the front, going long) baffle the big green blokes who are starved of opportunities to breathe and set up the rolling bore, I mean maul.

The Wallabies' inside backs don't overplay their hand but work variations that continually keep the Springboks guessing, especially early. Quade Cooper has a target on his chest, but this allows Matt Giteau to run riot. Giteau even smiles and stops screaming at everyone for a few moments.

Later, defeated and demoralised the Boks can only watch Cooper jinx, jump and ghost by them.

Crucially -- and I must hurry as the vision is fogging over now -- even when the Springboks score or have a long attacking sequence, or when referee Clancy loses his mind and (having read the South Africans' insane complaints about how mean the refs have been to them) awards the Saffers seven penalties in a row -- the Australians do not panic. They do not collapse, they hit back immediately, if not on the scoreboard at least in the physical contest.

There, I'm spent. Looking in the rugby future is very difficult now my glass is empty bartender. I didn't even get to see the final score, but I think there was a 60 in there somewhere.

What, the glass half-empty theory? Well, I think you know how that goes, we saw plenty of it in the Tri-Nations last year.

But briefly, as I recall before I was rudely escorted from the premises, the Boks, learning from their losses to a wondrously intense and committed New Zealand side, hold onto the pill through the middle, cutting mistakes to a minimum.

The undersized Australians are on the back foot all over the park and Bryan Habana shows up O'Connor with every touch. The numerous attacking bombs all sail to O'Connor's wing -- unfortunately he is almost always out of position or overmatched as the Saffers send big blokes to chase down the kicks and climb all over him.

The South African lineout is back to its best and Ryan Kankowski. Schalk Burger and Pierre Spies are making mince meat of the Aussie defence one pass off the ruck and into the No 10 channel, unloading to a talented and efficient backline with Habana and quicksilver Gio Aplon doing the finishing.

Referee Clancy insists on bossing the game and the stop-start affair descends into horror as the Springboks gets the upper hand in the scrum and go unpunished at the breakdown.

After the game, Deans scratches his head and says something about "the group" slowly learning from its mistakes.

That's when I blacked out.