Boks excited to play in Adelaide
THE Springboks have not beaten the Wallabies in Australia since 2013 and will be hoping that a brand new venue later this year will bring about a change in fortune.
For the first time, the Boks will play a Test in Adelaide in their Rugby Championship fixture on August 27, and again against the Wallabies a week later in Sydney.
Last year, the Boks lost backto-back Tests to the Wallabies in Brisbane and Gold Coast, and the last time they won on Australian soil was under coach Heyneke Meyer and captain Jean de Villiers when they racked up an impressive scoreline of 38-12 in Brisbane.
That result and score were very much an anomaly and the Boks haven’t won in Australia since.
Regarding the Boks’ six home Tests this year, SA Rugby has confirmed that they will all kick off at 5.05pm against Wales in
July, as well as the three Rugby Championship Tests against New Zealand at Mbombela Stadium (August 6) and at Ellis Park (August 13), with the final match of the tournament, against Argentina at Kings Park (September 24).
The three fixtures against Wales are at Loftus (July 2), Free State Stadium (July 9) and at Cape Town Stadium (July 16).
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber is excited about the Boks making their first appearance in Adelaide, and returning to Sydney for the first time in more than a decade, and says it would be a great experience for the team after becoming accustomed to playing mainly in Brisbane and Perth in the last few years.
“We are very excited about playing in Adelaide for the first time and hopefully we can make the most of this occasion in a season that will be vital as we build towards to the Rugby World Cup in France next year,” said Nienaber.
“The players enjoyed the experience of playing four Tests in Queensland last year, and Adelaide will present another exciting new challenge, while the last time we played the Wallabies in New South Wales was back in 2011 in Sydney.
“It also offers us the opportunity to start on a new slate at a fresh venue in a country that we have come to know very well over the years.”
Nienaber also said the confirmation of the kick-off times for the Boks’ local Tests assists tremendously with their planning.
“Match-days are very structured for us, and every minute counts in ensuring that the players perform to their optimal ability, so the kick-off times allow us to fine-tune our planning even more as the countdown begins to the international season,” he said.