With the support of New Zealand fans, head coach Joe Schmidt believes Australia can ‘knock off’ the world champion Springboks when the teams clash Down Under in August.
The Boks kick off their 2024 Rugby Championship against the Wallabies in Perth and Brisbane, on August 10 and 17 respectively.
A losing finalist at the 2023 Rugby World Cup with the All Blacks, Schmidt has crossed the Tasman to inject fresh impetus into the Australians.
The seasoned tactician won’t be looking for a quick rebuild of the team but, speaking in a recent Wallabies conference to promote the blockbuster Tests with the Boks, Schmidt said he’s optimistic about upsetting the world’s top-ranked side.
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“I do think that they [New Zealanders] would support the local team and they will also have memories of the world cup final,” he told reporters. “They will be hoping that someone can knock off the Springboks, and why not us?
“There is a big South African influence here in Perth as well, so there is no doubt that they will have a bit of support. However, I would like to think that we can drown that out a little bit with green being beaten by gold.”
“It is a challenge. The last game they [Boks] played, I was in the opposition coaching box. We felt pretty disappointed at the end, not just with the result, but with some of the things that happened during the game,” he added.
“They are just so difficult to break down. They stay in the game really well. They are incredibly physical. They try to suffocate you and they have a really strong set piece.
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“They’ve got some very big men, but they have some really gifted players as well.
“People think of South Africa as big and bludgeoning their way to victory, but guys like Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse are real whippets with some of the skills they have.
“Even Damian de Allende has got some real talent around his kicking game and passing game, but he is pretty good at going forward as well.”
This article first appeared in SA Rugby magazine.
