Rookie Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is under no illusion as to the enormity of the task his side face in the Tri-Nations Test against South Africa tomorrow.
Although the Wallabies looked sharp in successive Test wins over France in recent weeks, including a 40-10 success last weekend, Deans knows the reigning World Cup champions provide the first real challenge of his four-game tenure.
The Springboks arrived in Australia buoyant after a historic 30-28 win over the All Blacks in Dunedin last weekend.
Expecting a bruising encounter with the powerful ’Boks, Deans plumped for experience when he named his team, recalling winger Lote Tuqiri, lock Nathan Sharpe and flanker Wycliff Palu.
He also recalled George Smith to the run-on side for the Wallabies first match of their Tri-Nations campaign.
South Africa recalled Pierre Spies, Francois Steyn and Conrad Jantjes.
The Wallabies go into the series as rank outsiders for the Tri-Nations title, but Deans said he believed wise heads would help his side prevail in what he is certain will be their most physical match of the year.
“Experience is always valuable,” the former Canterbury Crusaders mentor said. “This is our first Tri-Nations Test and we are conscious of the fact it is going to be a step up from what we have encountered to date. When you get into that sort of circumstance, to have as many blokes as possible around who have got some kilometers on the clock is valuable.”
Deans said the two Tests against the All Blacks showed the Springboks were playing a more expansive style of rugby than in their World Cup success.
“The physicality is still there, but they were a little bit more prepared to use the width of the ground and that makes them a more challenging opponent to defend against,” he said.
The Springboks made their Tri-Nations intentions clear with the win over the All Blacks last weekend, their first victory in New Zealand for a decade.
They will be without captain John Smit, who will miss the rest of the Tri-Nations because of groin surgery, and hooker Bismarck du Plessis, who was suspended for three weeks for making contact with the eyes of All Black Adam Thomson.
Springboks coach Peter de Villiers said his side had moved on from the New Zealand win.
“You can’t take history with you and that win means nothing this weekend,” he said. “They [the Wallabies] are a team that you do have to respect.”
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