Rugby Championships 2019: Springboks relieved Wallabies will be without aerial threat of Israel Folau

This weekend marks the first Test the Wallabies will play since Israel Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia. And South Africa are more than happy not to have to face him.

The Springboks are relieved they won’t have to face Israel Folau.

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South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus is relieved the Wallabies’ attack has lost a major weapon without the aerial skills of grounded Israel Folau.

Erasmus admitted that Folau’s incredible leaping to contest kicks and sometimes kick-offs had caused him headaches because “sometimes we couldn’t match him no matter what we’d do.”

The Folau saga may seem like it has gone on for an interminable time in Australia yet it will be the first time the fullback is missing for every new rival faced by the Wallabies this season.

The Springboks are relieved they won’t have to face Israel Folau.

It reduces one threat in match-planning by Erasmus for the Test at high-altitude Ellis Park in Johannesburg early on Sunday morning (EST).

“Obviously, the big thing he does is being the aerial master, the best in the world at the aerial skills,” Erasmus said.

“They’d only kick the ball contestable when he was there so I guess that will come a little more our way because they are less of a threat aerially.

“They’ll miss him, no doubt, because he’s a world class player but the Wallabies have great options with other fullbacks like Kurtley Beale or (Dane) Haylett-Petty.

“Folau was influential but the Wallabies will know much better than me what they’ll miss.”

Folau actually had his poorest strike rate for tries against any major nation against the Springboks with just two in 10 Tests.

Rassie Erasmus says the Wallabies have hgreat options even without Folau.

He never won a Test on South African soil in five attempts.

There is no doubt the Springboks are vulnerable this weekend because Erasmus made the call to split his squad in two so an advance party could fly to Wellington to better prepare for Saturday week’s Test against the All Blacks.

It means frontliner aces like hooker Malcolm Marx, No.8 Duane Vermeulen, fullback Willie le Roux and flyhalf Handre Pollard are not playing against the Wallabies.

The Springboks have still named a formidable pack around backrowers Francois Louw and Pieter-Steph du Toit, powerful locks Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager and 107-Test prop Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira.

The opportunity for the Wallabies to take advantage is in the backs where the seven Bok players can muster just 94 Test caps, including the 40 of key centre Jesse Kriel.

“First thing, it’s no disrespect to Australia. It’s a bit of juggling act as all coaches find,” Erasmus said.

Pieter-Steph du Toit gives the South Africa forwards a fearsome look.

“No doubt it’s a bit of a gamble.

“Teams have one eye on the World Cup obviously but you can’t have an eye on the World Cup without building momentum towards it.

“This is a pretty big game to build momentum for both country and I’d say it’s a must-win game for Australia with a full squad here.”

South Africa: Warrick Gelant, S’bu Nkosi, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Elton Jantjies, Herschel Jantjies, Francois Louw, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Rynhardt Elstadt, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth (c), Trevor Nyakane, Bongi Mbonambi, Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: Schalk Brits, Lizo Gqoboka, Vincent Koch, Marvin Orie, Marcell Coetzee, Cobus Reinach, Frans Steyn, Dillyn Leyds