OPINION: Boks under pressure to claim rare victory over Wallabies in Australia

It’s encouraging to see that the Springboks have given themselves more time in Australia in the build-up to next week’s opening Test in Brisbane in this year’s Rugby Championship.

In the past the Boks would usually fly out just days ahead of their Test matches, opting to do the bulk of their training in South Africa. But their results in Australia over the years have not been good and now coach Rassie Erasmus is trying something new.

The Boks will arrive in Australia on Thursday and have enough time to acclimatise and get used to things in Brisbane before next Saturday’s Test – against what is now very much an unknown enemy.

Unknown Wallabies

With the Boks no longer playing in Super Rugby they won’t know several of the players in the Wallabies team, drafted in from the Waratahs, Reds, Rebels, Western Force and Brumbies. And Erasmus on Tuesday, ahead of the team flying out of South Africa, admitted his team didn’t know too many of the men they’d be up against next weekend.

The teams will clash in back-to-back matches in Australia, with the second Test in Perth on August 17, and by then the Boks should have a better idea of what to expect of the 2024 version of the Wallabies team, now under the guidance of New Zealander Joe Schmidt.

But one thing is for sure, the Wallabies, despite performing poorly at the World Cup last year and never really being a team that strikes fear into Bok fans, will be a big test for Erasmus’ world champions. History tells us this, and if the Boks aren’t on top of their game they could suffer what many would deem a shock defeat.

Erasmus and Co though will know full well the Boks will not be favourites going into the game.

Since 1992 and South Africa’s readmission to world sport, the Boks and Wallabies have met 34 times in Australia, with the home team winning on 26 occasions. The Boks have won just six times in this period, with two draws.

The Boks will need a big performance and plenty to go their way in Brisbane next weekend if they are to record win number seven Down Under.