Springboks v Wallabies: Aussies see ’fast start, pressure’ as key to upstaging hosts in Bloemfontein

ON Grand Final weekend, a Springboks v Wallabies match-up may not register as a must-watch, gripping encounter. But in many ways, it will be. The stakes are high.

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IF a week is a long time in football, a week off feels like an eternity.

Or it does to Wallabies captain Michael Hooper anyway.

“You have these weeks off in the Rugby Championships and it sucks in a lot of ways, because you want to keep rolling on,” Hooper said.

“You want to keep playing and you want to go back to back on games. We just can’t wait to get on the field.”

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Reds Hooper and his side will get back on the field in Bloemfontein on Sunday morning (EST) when they meet South Africa.

On Grand Final weekend back home — and with both sides effectively out of the running in the Rugby Championship — it may not register in Australia as a must-watch, gripping encounter.

But in many ways, it will be. For the Wallabies, the Test will show whether or not they’re a young team ascending, capable of winning away Tests in the toughest environments.

For the Boks, a win would help them claw back credibility and self-belief following their 57-0 loss to New Zealand last start.

A loss at home, in a favourite highveld fortress, would almost serve last rites for a powerhouse rugby nation who’ve lost the fear factor in the last two years.

So the stakes are high.

And how both sides emerge from that never-ending week shapes as being one of the most critical factors.

Since those horrific first 40 minutes in Sydney, the Wallabies have improved with every outing.

Michael Hooper has stressed the need for the Wallabies to ‘start fast’.

Their last start two weekends ago was a big win over Argentina but while the game saw them muscle up in the set-piece and push away in the second-half, the first half was poor.

The Australian side trailed 13-10 at the break.

Asked on game eve what his message to the team has been this week, Hooper said: “Start fast.”

“Start well, and put pressure on these guys,” Hooper said.

“We were disappointed (with), and it has been well written about, our start down in Canberra. Just allowing the opposition into the game through things we are doing off our own bat. So just coming out and being the first to strike tomorrow night.”

The Wallabies will take a fast start, naturally, but the consistent problem of the Australian team this year — and in most Springbok Tests in the last few years — is a failure to finish out a dominant, unrelenting 80 minutes.

Sydney speaks for itself, Dunedin was an opportunity lost and Canberra was also just one good half. In Perth, the Wallabies led the Boks by 10 and “took the foot off the throat” in the second half. Sloppy at the breakdown and unable to win the set-piece, the Aussies finished with a 23-all draw in a game they should have won.

The Wallabies should have won last year in Pretoria, too. They led 10-3 early and had all the running, but the Boks ground their way back into the game and entirely via the boot of Frans Steyn, won 18-10.

The two teams battered each other into submission in Perth.

It is not lost on Hooper that in most defeats against South Africa, much of the pain is self-inflicted.

“We were really disappointed with the game last year. We allowed the game to get away from us,” Hooper said.

“I thought we were in control of parts, particularly at the start of the game we scored some nice tries. But then discipline among other things, mistakes, errors, lack of urgency, allowed them to creep back in the game. South African teams in particular put that pressure on, big kickers, that grinding type of game, a good set-piece. They can really punish you.”

The Wallabies have a sizzling attack, and much focus has been pointed on whether new forwards Izack Rodda, Jack Dempsey and Lukhan Tui can bring the muscle.

But the plainer reality is the Wallabies’ discipline, skill execution and set-pieces will determine the result of a game against the Springboks.

Urgency will be another factor. Not just because its absence was the problem in Canberra, but because the Boks have spent the last fortnight stewing in the emotions of their record loss two weeks ago in Albany.

Already a passionate mob, the Springboks will no doubt emerge breathing fire and the Wallabies’ response will be telling.

As a talker, Springbok captain Eben Etzebeth’s press conference answers are short and sharp but the huge lock grinned when asked if having two weeks thinking about Albany would produce a big response from his players.

Eben Etzebeth has a big job to rally the home side.

“We’ve had two weeks to think about the big loss‚ but we have also had more time to prepare‚” Etzebeth said.

“We are definitely using the loss (against NZ) as motivation but it’s not our entire focus. We have to focus on what we do well and go back to the good rugby we played before that game.”

The Boks have made several changes to their team, with Francois Louw returning from England

to play flanker and sharp Lions halfback Lionel Cronje taking back the no.9. Stormers wing Dillyn Leyds will make his debut.

Otherwise, coach Alistair Coetzee has stuck with the men who were hammered by New Zealand.

Etzebeth was asked if he pointed his team toward the Wallabies’ bounce-back in Dunedin as proof one heavy loss doesn’t mean squat if you’re motivated enough?

“A week in rugby is a long time,” he replied.

Springboks (15-1): Andries Coetzee, Dillyn Leyds, Jesse Kriel, Jan Serfontein, Courtnall Skosan, Elton Jantjies, Ross Cronje, Uzair Cassiem, Siya Kolisi, Francois Louw, Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth (c), Ruan Dreyer, Malcolm Marx, Tendai Mtawarira

Reserves: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Steven Kitshoff, Trevor Nyakane, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jean-Luc du Preez, Rudy Paige, Handre Pollard, Damian de Allende

Coach: Allister Coetzee

Wallabies (15-1): Scott Sio, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Sekope Kepu, Izack Rodda, Adam Coleman, Jack Dempsey, Michael Hooper, Sean McMahon, Will Genia, Bernard Foley, Reece Hodge, Kurtley Beale, Tevita Kuridrani, Marika Koroibete, Israel Folau

Reserves: Stephen Moore, Tom Robertson, Allan Alaalatoa, Rob Simmons, Lukhan Tui, Ned Hanigan, Nick Phipps, Samu Kerevi

Coach: Michael Cheika

Referee: Ben O’Keefe (NZ)

Originally published as Springboks v Wallabies: Aussies see ’fast start, pressure’ as key to upstaging hosts in Bloemfontein