Jan-Hendrik Wessels will face a big challenge on Saturday, scumming against the Wallabies captain. Picture: Will Russell/Gallo Images
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made 10 changes to his team for Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against the Wallabies in Perth (11.55am).
The Boks won the first Test between the teams 33-7 in Brisbane last weekend suggesting the Boks should be favourites on Saturday.
Here though are five things that will be in the spotlight in Perth.
Coach Rassie Erasmus continues to build depth by given opportunities to young, less experienced players, and on Saturday several of them take on a tier one nation for the first time, after previously facing tier two teams, like Portugal.
A huge match awaits the likes of rookie prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels and scrumhalf Morne van den Berg, who are up against seasoned operators in the Wallaby team.
Also, for Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Elrigh Louw, Ruan Nortje, Johan Grobbelaar and captain Salmaan Moerat, a big examination of their credentials, and future Bok prospects, awaits.
The Boks scored five tries last week in the Brisbane Test and delivered a good performance, but they also left a number of points on the field, having failed to make the most of their dominance throughout the match.
On Saturday, having had an extra week to prepare and tweak and get things right, the Boks will be expected to be more clinical in executing their plans and finishing the opportunities they create.
There are plenty of game-breakers in the side selected by Erasmus, and a hugely powerful bench, too, so the Boks must now make the most of their strong position with all the depth they have.
The Boks under Erasmus are continually looking for new ways to be one step ahead of the opposition, having tried several different moves over the years and last weekend we saw a new lineout play with the ball being thrown to the back, just for it to then be pushed to a jumper in the front of the lineout.
We also saw a long lineout throw to a charging Cheslin Kolbe, who at stages also fed the lineout and a scrum.
The Boks hinted they had one or two more tricks up their sleeves this week, so what are we going to see from them on Saturday?
It wasn’t that long ago that Manie Libbok was hailed far and wide as the best No 10 this country has produced, such was his prolific attacking play and how he made the Bok backs “sing”. He then missed a few kicks at goal and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu stepped forward and all of a sudden Libbok is fighting for his place in the squad.
It will be interesting to see what role he plays from off the bench on Saturday, with Handre Pollard also among the replacements – will he slot in at 10, and at what stage, or does Erasmus have another role for him?
While South African rugby fans, and the Bok squad, couldn’t give two hoots about how the Australian team perform this weekend, it will still be interesting and noteworthy to see how they hit back after last week’s 33-7 defeat, when they were completely outplayed.
Does coach Joe Schmidt have the players, and the game-plan, to get the Wallabies back on track?
Much has been said about South Africa leaving Super Rugby and Australia and New Zealand rugby going backwards because of it – so, is what we saw of the Wallabies last week, and the All Blacks losing to the Pumas, proof of this?
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