Redemption time against the Aussies
THE Springboks have spent the week in public, at least, trying to exorcise the ghosts of Albany, but behind the scenes their attention has turned to the challenge the Wallabies pose in their Rugby Championship clash this weekend.
Both the Boks and Wallabies have been humbled by the mighty All Blacks this season, and so the two sides have to be content with playing for second place.
South Africa have a mathematical chance of winning the title, but coach Allister Coetzee rather oddly conceded that the title was out of reach. Australia, by contrast, has no hope of winning the championship, but a Bok scalp on the highveld would do nicely.
The Boks are also desperate to show that the 57-0 hammering in Albany – the worst defeat in the 126year history of Springbok rugby – was a once-off abject performance.
Except that there have been several of those in the past 15 months – notably against the All Blacks – but also against Italy and Wales last November.
The only way the Boks can answer their critics is on the field, with a strong performance against Australia. But even though they have to focus on the task this weekend, there is a feeling that regardless of the outcome against the Wallabies, nothing will change the Boks’ stand- ing until they have proven that they can at least live with NZ on a rugby field.
The squad, though, doesn’t have the luxury of dwelling on what lies ahead at Newlands next week. They have to focus on the challenge the Wallabies pose.
Australian victories in SA are rare – with only 10 wins in 44 matches – but two of those wins have come in four outings in Bloemfontein, which included their last visit here in 2010. That day Kurtley Beale kicked a late penalty to give the Wallabies a 41-39 victory, and Beale will again be a threat to the Boks.
He’s not quite the slippery character of seven years ago, but he has matured into a high quality playmaker around which the Wallabies base most of their attacking game.
“Kurtley Beale is a creative player and more of a threat by the way he puts people around him in space,” Bok backline coach Franco Smith said. “We managed that aspect quite well in Perth [when the Boks drew 23-23 three weeks ago] and we will have to do it again.”
Altitude could be a factor for the Wallabies, who have been preparing in Johannesburg, but it’s no longer a massive issue after years and years of Super Rugby intelligence on how to deal with a match at 4 300 feet above sea level.
Smith felt that altitude is unlikely to be a defining factor, although it could give the Boks a slight edge.
“The altitude might be a factor but we will control what we can control,” said Smith.
“They will have learnt over years to manage the altitude.
“Knowing the Aussies they will try and score early and ask us to catch up. They have learnt their lessons in the past but we won’t dwell on history or altitude to help us win the game.” the