Australian journalist Russel Peart, writing on sportsaustralia.com today, believes that the Springboks are in for a long night as the Wallaby team pours on the points to triumph by a 30-point margin and gain a bonus point four-try win.
“A glittering spectacle in a glittering stadium with 50,000 expectant fans.
Australia currently holds all the aces, fresh from a win against their Trans-Tasman rivals, one up in Bledisloe cup and leading the tri nations table at the midway point.
A massive total of 624 caps in the incredibly experienced starting 15 which goes in missing injured fullback Chris Latham’s 72 caps and suspended winger Lote Tuqiri’s 53 still out weighs South Africa’s paltry 200.
Canberra based George Gregan will extend his world record of international appearances to 133 and his mid field mate Stephen Larkham earns his 100th cap as both take the field for their last international Test on home soil.
The Wallabies look set to avenge the recent loss in Durban by three points and emulate the 2006 victory at Telstra stadium by 20-18.
The Springbok have caused returning Managing Director & CEO of the ARU John O’Neill to vent his anger on his first day back in his old job following the news that the Springboks were sending down under a second-string squad.
Still the Springboks have managed to pull out 19 capped players along with three debutants – Free State tighthead prop Jannie Du Plessis, his brother the Shark reserve rake Bismark Du Plessis and bench utility from Western Province Peter Grant.
In all they enter the former Olympic arena with a pack weighing in at 900kgs, 32 kilo’s heavier than the light weight Aussies.
Western Province winger Breyton Paulse is easily the most experienced player with 62 caps and 25 tries ahead of two-try Cheetahs prop CJ van der Linder and Durban based no.8, and Springbok captain, Bobby Skinstad who both have 37 caps and 10 tries in Tests.
Skinstad is only one of three survivors from the Springbok loss to All Blacks two weeks ago, the others are Sharks team mates speedster JP Pieterson and Braveheart Ruan Pienaar.
Big questions are being asked already. Will the Springbok huge scrum out muscle the vastly more experienced Australian pack?
The Wallaby eight hold up without too much embarrassment against the South African and New Zealand first choice packs over the last two games. Does Australia have the dominance in the line out with the experienced pairing of Nathan Sharpe (200cm) and Daniel Vickerman (204cm) towering over their opponents?
Add other options like flanker Rocky Elsom (196cm) and reserve utility forward Hugh McMeniman (200cm) who also provides a larger than life sideline restart option.
Does Johannesburg based Wikus Van Heerden have the pace to out gun starting breakaway George Smith (on his 78th appearance) and reserve Phil Waugh (picking up his 61st cap) at the break and across the park in just his sixth game.
In the backline Gregan and Larkham don’t provide all the experience, Captain Stirling Mortlock, in his 59th appearance, brings a hefty 102kg of pure speed and 407 points to boot.
Combine that with Matt Giteau’s booty of 211 Test points and add the rest of the teams’ points it gives a huge 986 points. Will the flair of a Brumbies backline plus Force playmaker Giteau be too much for this new look South African combination?
No 75 cap, 700+ points Percival Montgomery to guide them out of a trouble. Instead young Free State fullback Bevan Fortuin will start in his second Test. Percy’s kicking duties will be taken by the “man on the streets” favourite flyhalf Derick Hougaard who will struggle to add to his 56 points from seven previous appearances and against the best defence in the competition.
A second appearance for Sharks centre Waylon Murray who will combine for the first time with the second most experienced back after Paulse Pretorian Wynand Olivier.
Looking at the reserves bench there is 177 Wallaby caps waiting to be increased and Western Force try scoring machine Scott Staniforth will start in his ninth appearance early in the second half to help Mortlock punch holes in the Springbok backs and increase his eight-try tally.
Staniforth will be rejoined in the 22 by his Force team mate Drew Mitchell who also has scored seven five-pointers. The experienced Waratah prop All Baxter (116kg) looks likely to increase on his 45 Tests at the ground affectionately know by the locals as “our house” with fellow New South Welshman 117kg no. 8 David Lyons set to extend his tally of international appearance to 43.
Replacement hooker Queenslander Sean Hardman who is back on the reserve list for the first time since 2002 is likely to get a late third cap. This Wallaby bench is likely to be too powerful for the Springbok reserves, which do have some experience to call upon.
Stormers’ strongman Eddie Andrews (125kg) is likely to come into the game early to add his weight to either side of the front row as will man mountain Albert Van der Burg (201cm) to attack that Wallaby strong set piece.
29-cap Jacques Cronje will add valuable pace and at 195cm will offer the South Africans lineout options. Sadly though, the Springboks backs store cupboard is lean with Cheetahs budding half Michael Classens. Jaco Pretorius is hoping to gain another cap replacing No 13 Murray midway through the second half, while Grant will hope to replace either Hougaard or Fortuin.
The answers to the questions will be evident on Saturday night as this Wallaby team pours on the points and win by a 30-point margin and gain a bonus point four-try win lifting the win ratio against South Africa to 24 from 65.
Keeping the Nelson Mandela plate in Australia and increasing their Tri-Nations Championship aspirations 10-fold.â€
Russel Peart writing on sportsaustralia.com
Anyone who refers to Steady Eddie as “Stormers’ strongman Eddie Andrews” obviously knows nothing about rugby 🙂