Countdown Day 3 – Boks vs Australia

The countdown to Saturday’s big Tri Nations clash between the Australian Canary Yellows and the Bok Killer B’s entered its third day with the announcement of the teams to face each other in Sydney on Saturday.

Also in the news was the injury sustained in a practice session by the recently recalled Cobus Visagie and the subsequent selection of Cheetahs prop Jannie du Plessis. Springbok captain Bob Skinstad also spoke about the team’s likely tactics for Saturday’s game.

The Match Details:

Date: Saturday, 7 July
Venue: Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Kick-off: 12.05pm SA time
Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Steve Walsh (New Zealand), Kevin Deaker (New Zealand)
Television match official: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)

The Teams:

Australia
Stephen Hoiles starts at eigthman in place of the injured Wycliff Palu. Hoiles’ place on the substitutes bench is taken by David Lyons. Adam Freier replaces injured hooker Stephen Moore. Australia A hooker Sean Hardman takes Freier’s place on the bench. Mark Gerrard replaces the suspended Lote Tuqiri on the wing, while Drew Mitchell returns to the side as a reserve. Lock Hugh McMeniman completes the substitutes bench.

01. Matt Dunning
02. Adam Freier
03. Guy Shepherdson
04. Nathan Sharpe
05. Dan Vickerman
06. Rocky Elsom
07. George Smith (vc)
08. Stephen Hoiles
09. George Gregan
10. Stephen Larkham
11. Adam Ashley-Cooper
12. Matt Giteau
13. Stirling Mortlock (c)
14. Mark Gerrard
15. Julian Huxley

16. Sean Hardman
17. Al Baxter
18. Hugh McMeniman
19. David Lyons
20. Phil Waugh (vc)
21. Scott Staniforth
22. Drew Mitchell

South Africa
Bob Skinstad captains a second-string Bok side that doesn’t look too bad on paper. The team shows 12 changes from the side that lost to New Zealand with the only players to survive being Skinstad, left wing JP Pietersen, and hooker Gary Botha.

01. CJ van der Linde
02. Gary Botha
03. Jannie du Plessis
04. Johan Ackermann
05. Johann Muller
06. Wikus van Heerden
07. Pedrie Wannenburg
08. Bob Skinstad (c)
09. Ruan Pienaar
10. Derick Hougaard
11. JP Pietersen
12. Wynand Olivier
13. Waylon Murray
14. Breyton Paulse
15. Bevin Fortuin

16. Bismarck du Plessis
17. Eddie Andrews
18. Albert van den Berg
19. Jacques Cronje
20. Michael Claassens
21. Peter Grant
22. Jaco Pretorius

Cobus Visagie pulled up injured while the forwards were working out against the scrum machine with what appeared to be a dislocation of the left elbow. It appears to be a recurrence of previous elbow problems.

His loss to the Boks will be felt on Saturday as he is generally rated as one of the most powerful tightheads in world rugby.

He was recalled from the international wilderness after it was decided to rest BJ Botha. The Saracens prop was on holiday in Cape Town when he got the call to join the Boks in Australasia.

Enter Jannie du Plessis

The powerful Cheetahs prop now makes his debut against Australia on Saturday. He joins his brother, Sharks hooker Bismarck du Plessis, in the matchday 22.

Bob Skinstad spoke to the media on Tuesday about the possible approach of the Boks to Saturday’s Test.

“How are we going to win? Bulls rugby, allied to good, old-fashioned Springbok guts – that’s how,” said birthday boy Bob.

“It is going to take a big boot, huge courage, a Herculean tight five – actually make that tight eight – effort.

“The forwards need to make the hard yards with the ball coming back to the forwards again and again from the inside backs, and then Derick dropping into the pocket and controlling the game.

“Derick doesn’t have the reputation on the world stage that he has in South Africa but when you look at what he’s done in the Currie Cup, he’s won the Super 14…we’ve been to World Cups with worse fly-halves and I’ve toured with worse sides.

“What I am saying is that you are unlikely to see us putting together 25 structured phases ala the Brumbies and then finishing off with a try under the poles.

“That is not realistic. Rather, let’s use our pack to create the platform and then let Hougaard win us the game in Bulls-style rugby.

“It’s got to be Bulls rugby. It’s going to be a hard game, a lot of guts and a big boot,” concluded the Bok captain.