Wallabies fullback Israel Folau says mental approach key against Springboks

ISRAEL Folau needs one of footy’s seven-out-of-10 miracles to play on Saturday night yet he gave the strong hint that the greater repair work for the Wallabies this week will be mental.

Israel Folau during Wallabies training at Sanctuary Cove on Monday. Picture: AAP

ISRAEL Folau needs one of footy’s seven-out-of-10 miracles to play on Saturday night yet he gave the strong hint that the greater repair work for the Wallabies this week will be mental.

Falling so short of expectations against the All Blacks in two Tests has left some scarring that only a resounding performance against South Africa can start curing at Suncorp Stadium.

The champion fullback rated himself a 50-50 chance to play but would need to train today on his damaged ankle or the able Dane Haylett-Petty will be there.

Put in bland print, it is stinging that Folau should query attitude and clocking off at key moments in the crashlandings against the All Blacks last month when defensive misfires were so costly.

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“A lot is an attitude. The attitude has been great (overall) but there were little moments in the games where we switched off,” Folau said.

Israel Folau during Wallabies training at Sanctuary Cove on Monday. Picture: AAP

“There wasn’t the urgency to kill that (counter-attack) play straight away.”

There was a strong chance that Folau was reiterating what coach Michael Cheika had emphasised in the team’s first meetings of the week and what was viewed in horror story video clips from the Bledisloe Tests again.

“No doubt, the results really hurt us and we understand the fans’ frustrations because it has been 16 years since we held the Bledisloe (Cup),” Folau said.

“We still hold onto a lot of confidence and want to put that unsatisfied feeling behind us against a very good South African side.”

Folau must get a bruised back at times from the compliments he receives but there has been a different tone to recent public comments to the team.

“You always come across people in the streets and they have been expressing their frustrations which is understandable,” Folau said.

“It’s a matter of turning 50-minute performances into an 80-minute one because in both those Tests (against the Kiwis) we did some good things in the first half.”

Israel Folau is still under an injury cloud. Picture: AAP

A new three-year deal for Folau with Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs is past the post in most eyes yet he clicked into contract talk mode and “so many options” tumbled from his lips again.

Would Mrs Folau stipulate they be a one-state sporting family now his Kiwi wife Maria has a clearance to play netball in Australia and likely with the Sydney-based Giants?

“Well yeah, we’d both like to be in the same state but being athletes we know it doesn’t always go that way and we’ve been doing that (playing in different countries) for three years,” Folau said.

Folau said he expected the Springboks to be an improved side under new coach Rassie Erasmus after two see-sawing draws between the nations last year.

The Boks will field the classy Willie le Roux at fullback and he comes with all the silky passing and cross-field kick trickery of the very best.

“He is very well-rounded, a great player similar to (All Black) Ben Smith with the way he really asks questions of the defence as a threat,” Folau said.

Folau worked only with the rehab group at training on Monday while flanker David Pocock ran only in the first half of the session as he stays away from more knocks to his neck.

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