Australia VS South Africa Location: Optus Stadium, Perth
Australia VS South Africa Date: Saturday, July 17
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History
The Wallabies will host the Springboks at Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday, in the second of the two Rugby Championship matches between the two nations in this tournament. Reducing tournament travel has been a major goal of the Rugby Championship organizers, so this game follows on from the first clash between South Africa and Australia in Brisbane last weekend.
That game saw the Boks humble the Aussies. The handicap was set at 9.5 points in favor of South Africa, but the Springboks blew that out of the water, dominated the Test match, and won 33-7.
The Australians are young and game, but they simply didn’t have the physical tools to stand up to the Boks’ power in South Australia. The opening exchanges showed some promise for Joe Schmidt’s side, but as the game progressed, it became a question of how many points the Boks would win by.
If it had been a boxing match, it would have been called early, with a rampant South Africa scoring five tries to just one for Australia. The game even saw Rassie Erasmus at his creative best, with South Africa’s first try coming from a wild lineout move that saw the ball caught at the back, immediately thrown to the front, and then a dominant maul driving over the bemused Wallabies.
Schmidt has much work to do to change the narrative this weekend.
Australia
Australia must approve this Test differently to have any chance of covering the 12.5 points they are being given, let alone winning the match. Their strategy of kicking away possession was punished brutally by South Africa, with the Boks dominating possession and territory.
The mystifying decision to leave Marike Koroibete, one of the few experienced players with the physicality and desire to stand up and be counted, out of the 23 is something Schmidt has changed for Perth. He comes in on the wing while veteran scrum-half Nic White gets a starting nod.
South Africa
The wild part about the dominant win was that South Africa was far from perfect. However, this will be a new test with Erasums making ten changes to his starting XV.
The only players to keep their spots are Chselin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Elrigh Louw, and Pieter-Steph du Touit. Erasmus brushed aside comments that his team selection is disrespectful to Australia.
The depth of talent is enviable. While scrum-half Morne van den Berg and lock Ruan Nortje are making their first Test starts, other players coming into the team include superstars like Marco van Staden and Lukhanyo Am. This is a talented and dangerous team with a point to prove.
Best Bets
The first-half stats in Brisbane were wild. The Springboks were up 21-0 and had run for 271m to just 72m from the Wallabies. It was 33-0 before Australia picked up a late consolation try, but I don’t anticipate the Wallabies being able to stay within 12.5 here. Don’t be shocked if South Africa wins by 21+ again.
