Mandela inspires the Springboks

Doubts about the Springboks’ ability to back up their momentous victory over the All Blacks may just be erased by one man in Port Elizabeth.

Nelson Mandela was born about 500km from the cruisy east-coast South African city and began as a lawyer another 500km north-west in Johannesburg. But the late South African president and antiapartheid revolutionary has a lasting presence on the venue for this weekend’s test against the Wallabies.

Nearly 50,000 expectant fans will pack out Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium for the clash and a large number have already made the effort to visit the stadium to watch the home side train this week.

The Wallabies have trained in obscurity at Nelson Mandela University since Monday, where a giant illustration of the man himself watches on from above the halfway line.

Locals will be coming off a short working week after Heritage Day fell on Monday, while the country is in the midst of celebrating the former leader’s centenary.

All of this is not lost on the Springboks, who are now humming under the side’s first black captain in Siya Kolisi and desperate to avoid any complacency.

‘‘First things first, it’s a special time in our country where the late Mandela would have been 100 this year,’’ assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said.

‘‘It’s a big occasion to play in Nelson Mandela Stadium.’’

Halfback Faf de Klerk is sure ‘‘passion and pride will come naturally’’ and the Wallabies understand the lay of the land.

‘‘It’s a massive game [for us] and for them it’s no different,’’ Wallabies outside centre Reece Hodge said. ‘‘Their fans are going to want to see some consistency; with their country and region behind them, it’s a lot stacked against us this week.’’

Both squads will be finalised today, with the Springboks likely to start Malcolm Marx after he started from the bench in the loss to Australia in Brisbane.

Bernard Foley looks set to remain Australia’s substitute playmaker, while captain Michael Hooper has trained strongly after missing the loss to Argentina with a hamstring injury.