Ken Borland

Both South Africa and Australia will be looking to make amends for past defeats when they square up in their Rugby Championship Test at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.

The Springboks will be looking to end a record five-match losing streak against the Wallabies, which captain Jean de Villiers admitted rankled him, while Australia will be aiming to win at Loftus for the first time in six attempts.
“We’ve only won one out of our last eight matches against Australia which is simply not good enough. That can never be acceptable and this team has now inherited that record so it’s our job to rectify that,” De Villiers told a news conference in Johannesburg on Friday.
The Wallabies, having won their last two matches in South Africa, including a 41-39 triumph in Bloemfontein on the highveld in 2010, have set their sights firmly on winning again at altitude at Loftus Versfeld.
“Every Rugby Championship match is a big weekend but the context of this game is that it’s a great opportunity to change history. We’ve waited a long time to win in Pretoria and that’s something we look forward to,” Australia captain Nathan Sharpe said.
Both teams have endured a troubled year, with new Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer boasting two wins over England but just a solitary Rugby Championship victory, against debutants Argentina in Cape Town.
Wallaby coach Robbie Deans, at the helm of the team for a fifth year, has two Rugby Championship wins over Argentina and South Africa at home to his credit, but his continued failure to engineer victory over his home nation New Zealand has seen him come under fire in Australia.
De Villiers said the Springboks were desperate to go out and win the Test for Meyer.
“We really believe we’ve improved over the last two matches, we just haven’t been able to get the result we wanted. We really believe we’re on the right track and we want to win more than anything for the coach, to take pressure off him and the rest of the management,” the centre said.
Both under-performing teams have boldly chosen flyhalves who will start for the first time in the number 10 jersey at Test level.
Deans is hoping former fullback Kurtley Beale will spark the Wallabies on attack in the absence of the injured Quade Cooper, whose social media attacks on the coach have provided an unnecessary distraction that Australian players have privately admitted they have had enough of hearing about.
“Kurtley is one of the better kickers in our side and I have no concerns over his capacity to do what we want him to do. He’s played a lot of flyhalf alongside scrumhalf Nick Phipps at the Melbourne Rebels, so it’s an established combination.
“If you look at both backlines, the match should clearly be a good spectacle, I expect both sides to be positive and because of the conditions, it’s likely to be pretty expansive,” Deans said.
Meyer has chosen 20-year-old Johan Goosen, who has shown a willingness to attack with ball-in-hand during his two appearances off the bench, in place of the experienced Morne Steyn, who has suffered a dramatic loss of form with the boot.
Francois Steyn has been withdrawn from the Springbok team after rolling his ankle earlier in the week and De Villiers will replace him at inside centre, with debutant Jaco Taute wearing the number 13 jersey.
Both teams look likely to make late changes to their bench. Wallaby loose forward Scott Higginbotham has tweaked his back and, if there is not a dramatic improvement in his condition on Saturday, will be replaced by flyhalf Mike Harris as the visitors revert back to a 4-3 split amongst the reserves.
Springbok prop Coenie Oosthuizen, who has played just 35 minutes of rugby since injuring his neck on his test debut against England on June 9, has been withdrawn due to stiffness in his upper body. Pat Cilliers, who has just 3 caps, is the replacement.
Teams
South Africa – 15-Zane Kirchner, 14-Bryan Habana, 13-Jaco Taute, 12-Jean de Villiers, 11-Francois Hougaard, 10-Johan Goosen, 9-Ruan Pienaar, 8-Duane Vermeulen, 7-Willem Alberts, 6-Francois Louw, 5-Andries Bekker, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Jannie du Plessis, 2-Adriaan Strauss, 1-Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: 16-Tiaan Liebenberg, 17-Pat Cilliers, 18-Flip van der Merwe, 19-Marcell Coetzee, 20-Elton Jantjies, 21-Juan de Jongh, 22-Pat Lambie.
Australia – 15-Berrick Barnes, 14-Dominic Shipperley, 13-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12-Pat McCabe, 11-Digby Ioane, 10-Kurtley Beale, 9-Nick Phipps, 8-Radike Samo, 7-Michael Hooper, 6-Dave Dennis, 5-Nathan Sharpe, 4-Kane Douglas, 3-Ben Alexander, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-Benn Robinson. Reserves: 16-Saia Fainga’a, 17-James Slipper, 18-Rob Simmons, 19-Scott Higginbotham/Mike Harris, 20-Liam Gill, 21-Brett Sheehan, 22-Anthony Fainga’a.

Kurtley Beale will make his first start at flyhalf and Nathan Sharpe and Benn Robinson will reach career milestones in the highlights of the Australia team named on Thursday to play South Africa in a Rugby Championship Test in Pretoria on Saturday.

Beale replaces the injured Quade Cooper and is the only change to the team that staged a comeback 23-19 win over Argentina two weeks ago and Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said he had full confidence that the former fullback will be able to dictate play in a tactically astute fashion.

“Kurtley is one of the better kickers in our side and I have no concerns over his capacity to do what we want him to do. He’s played a lot of flyhalf alongside scrumhalf Nick Phipps at the Melbourne Rebels, so it’s an established combination.

“If you look at both backlines, the match should clearly be a good spectacle, I expect both sides to be positive and because of the conditions, it’s likely to be pretty expansive,” Deans told a news conference in Pretoria on Thursday.

Captain and lock Sharpe is playing his 110th Test and will draw level with former flanker George Smith as Australia’s most-capped forward and Robinson will earn his 50th cap, becoming just the third Wallaby prop to reach that landmark, after Ewen McKenzie and Al Baxter.

Australia won their last match against South Africa 26-19 in Perth three weeks ago, but struggled badly in the first half, while they trailled Argentina by 13 points at one stage on the Gold Coast before rallying.

Deans said although he was delighted by the team’s character in those victories, it was vital that Saturday’s Test did not follow the same path at one of Springbok rugby’s fortresses, where Australia have not won in five previous attempts.

“The response under duress was excellent, but it’s a circumstance we don’t want to put ourselves under again even though we have the belief to get out of it. We will need to play much better up front, we made life much harder for ourselves in the last two games,” Deans said.

Tatafu Polota-Nau, the Wallabies hooker, said the Springbok forwards would be fired up by the 50 000-strong Loftus Versfeld crowd.

“They’re going to thrive on that 16th man that home advantage is, it’s a big player. Their forward pack is full of big guys and we’re going to have to be up front and ensure we give them no space to work with,” Polota-Nau said.

To reflect the massive battle between the two packs, Deans has chosen a 5-2 split on the replacements’ bench, with lock Rob Simmons the extra forward filling the space created by Beale’s promotion.

South Africa have also made a change at flyhalf, with the 20-year-old Johan Goosen also making his first start, in place of the out-of-form Morne Steyn, a seasoned match-winner for the Springboks in previous years.

“No doubt the Springboks will have some tweeks to their game plan because you don’t make such a strategic change without playing to the strengths of the players involved,” Deans said.

Team – 15-Berrick Barnes, 14-Dominic Shipperley, 13-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12-Pat McCabe, 11-Digby Ioane, 10-Kurtley Beale, 9-Nick Phipps, 8-Radike Samo, 7-Michael Hooper, 6-Dave Dennis, 5-Nathan Sharpe, 4-Kane Douglas, 3-Ben Alexander, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-Benn Robinson. Reserves: 16-Saia Fainga’a, 17-James Slipper, 18-Rob Simmons, 19-Scott Higginbotham, 20-Liam Gill, 21-Brett Sheehan, 22-Anthony Fainga’a.

Coach Heyneke Meyer on Wednesday launched a possible new era in Springbok rugby when he named 20-year-old Johan Goosen as the starting flyhalf for the Rugby Championship Test against Australia at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.

While Meyer will probably consider the selection a brave move, it was always the only sensible one with Morne Steyn suffering such an obvious loss of form and confidence.

Meyer, whose linguistic gymnastics in trying to deny Steyn is being rested or dropped amused the horde of journalists gathered for the team announcement at Montecasino, stressed that the prolific 28-year-old points-scorer was not being thrown into the wilderness.

“It was a very difficult decision, but I have to look after the team’s interests first and then the individual’s. Morne really wanted to play, especially at Loftus, his home ground, but he is a true champion and he took my decision gracefully. He has won a lot of games for his country, just the last few have not gone well. But Morne’s not someone you need to feel sorry for, he’s a fighter and he will come back stronger,” Meyer said.

Whether Steyn will be able to add to his 41 Test caps and 486 points – the second-most for the Springboks – will depend on how well Goosen and Elton Jantjies, who is on the bench on Saturday, take their chances.

Meyer did suggest that his long-term vision revolves around the two youngsters taking South Africa through to the 2015 World Cup.

“It’s great that going forward to the World Cup – and I know there’s still a long way to go – we have such depth at flyhalf. Johan has always been in the mix since day one, but it’s been a process with him. I feel he is now ready to start a Test for South Africa and I’m excited to see what he can bring.

“As far as Elton goes, we know how strong his kicking game is and I would not put a player in the 22-man squad if I did not have full confidence in him,” Meyer said.

Jantjies, despite being in and around the Springbok squad since 2010, is yet to play a Test and there is a good chance a second debutant will be in action in Pretoria in Jaco Taute.

Inside centre Francois Steyn has been battling a twisted ankle all week and then he aggravated the injury trying to run on Wednesday, and Taute has been earmarked to take his place in midfield if the 2007 World Cup winner does not pass a fitness test on Friday.

But Meyer is rightly concerned about having debutants at 10 and 12 and confirmed on Wednesday that if Frans Steyn is unable to play, then captain Jean de Villiers will shift back to his more accustomed position at inside centre and Taute will slot in at number 13.

“I don’t want new caps at both 10 and 12, so Jean will play 12 if Frans doesn’t make it. Jaco played some great rugby at outside centre in SuperRugby, he would have been in my 22 from day one if he wasn’t injured and he’s 106kg and can run 100m in 10.7 seconds,” Meyer said.

There will be some, especially in the Western Cape, who will be unhappy that Taute has seemingly leapfrogged Juan de Jongh, who was bracketed with the Lions player on the bench.

“It’s tough on Juan, he’s brilliant on defence and he runs great lines. But I looked at the way Australia defend and I went for horses-for-courses with Jaco. It’s also easier if the new guy starts because if he struggles, then you can bring the more experienced guy on and Juan is a very good impact player,” Meyer explained.

Even though locks Flip van der Merwe and Juandre Kruger were brilliant in Dunedin, they have both been demoted, with Van der Merwe at least finding a place on the bench. Again, Meyer said it was a horses-for-courses selection as Eben Etzebeth and Andries Bekker were announced as the starting locks for the Pretoria Test.

“All the locks are sticking up their hands and we’re building great depth there, so it was a tough call. Flip van der Merwe had probably his best game ever for the Springboks and Juandre Kruger was very good too.

“Against the All Blacks, you want locks that play more to the ball and Flip and Juandre were superb at the rucks. But Australia are very good in the lineout, they will put us under pressure there, and one of Bekker’s other strengths is that, in a more open game, he has the ability to pitch up at centre or on the wing,” Meyer said.

It means the Springboks are going into the Loftus Versfeld Test with their tallest possible lineout and an all-Stormers trio of jumpers with Duane Vermeulen at eighthman. Tiaan Liebenberg is also the reserve hooker.

But it is the highly-rated Goosen who will be under the most scrutiny and Springbok vice-captain Adriaan Strauss, his captain at the Free State Cheetahs, is confident the youngster is going to handle the expectation with aplomb.

“It’s great to see Johan get an opportunity, even though Morne Steyn is an exceptional player. He might be a bit nervous when he’s in the moment, but I don’t think it will get the better of him. As I told him, if there’s one player I’ve seen who can handle pressure, it’s Johan. It’s his best attribute,” Strauss said.

Meyer also promised that Goosen will be able to take the attack to the Wallabies as he is wont to do with the Cheetahs.

“Every player is encouraged to play the situation as they see it, I say to every player that he must just be himself because that’s why I chose him. But there’s always going to be more space and line-breaks at Currie Cup level, so the public mustn’t expect too much,” Meyer said.

The public will be eager for Goosen to make a rapid impression. But it will be even more important for the Springboks just to win, in whatever fashion. And then all will be well again in South African rugby.

South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer on Wednesday included promising 20-year-old flyhalf Johan Goosen at the expense of the experienced Morne Steyn in the team to play Australia in a Rugby Championship Test in Pretoria on Saturday.

Steyn’s form deserted him as the Springboks drew in Argentina and then lost to Australia in Perth and New Zealand in Dunedin, and the under-pressure Meyer has responded by omitting the man many South African fans hold responsible for the poor results.

“It was a very difficult decision, but I have to look after the team’s interests first and then the individual’s. Morne really wanted to play, especially at Loftus, his home ground, but he is a true champion and he took my decision gracefully. He has won a lot of games for his country, just the last few have not gone well. But Morne’s not someone you need to feel sorry for, he’s a fighter and he will come back stronger,” Meyer told a news conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Goosen, who looked a prodigious talent in SuperRugby for the Cheetahs before a dislocated shoulder ruled him out at the halfway stage of the competition, has promised much in two appearances totalling half-an-hour off the bench.

“Johan has always been in the mix since day one, but it’s been a process with him. I feel he is now ready to start a Test for South Africa and I’m excited to see what he can bring,” said Meyer.

The uncapped 22-year-old Elton Jantjies has been included as the reserve flyhalf on the bench and, if inside centre Francois Steyn fails to recover from a twisted ankle, then another debutant, utility back Jaco Taute, will play outside centre, with captain Jean de Villiers shifting to number 12, where he has played most of his 79 Tests.

“I’m really passionate about the Springboks, it feels like life and death decisions for myself. But it’s not about giving players chances at this level, they must be able to make a difference and I would not put them in the 22 if I did not have confidence in them,” Meyer said.

The other changes to the Springbok team that lost 21-11 to New Zealand in Dunedin two weekends ago sees South Africa fielding a new lock pairing in 2.03m Eben Etzebeth and 2.08m Andries Bekker that will give them the same lineout that led the Stormers to the top of the SuperRugby standings. Eighthman Duane Vermeulen is also a key lineout jumper, while Tiaan Liebenberg is the reserve hooker.

Meyer said the changes in the second row would ensure that the Springboks had taller players better suited to the strong Australian lineout and what is expected to be a fast-paced game.

“All the locks are sticking up their hands and we’re building great depth there, so it was a tough call. Flip van der Merwe had probably his best game ever for the Springboks and Juandre Kruger was very good too.

“Against the All Blacks, you want locks that play more to the ball and Flip and Juandre were superb at the rucks. But Australia are very good in the lineout, they will put us under pressure there, and one of Bekker’s other strengths is that, in a more open game, he has the ability to pitch up at centre or on the wing,” Meyer said.

Team- 15-Zane Kirchner, 14-Bryan Habana, 13-Jean de Villiers/Jaco Taute, 12-Francois Steyn/Jean de Villiers, 11-Francois Hougaard, 10-Johan Goosen, 9-Ruan Pienaar, 8-Duane Vermeulen, 7-Willem Alberts, 6-Francois Louw, 5-Andries Bekker, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Jannie du Plessis, 2-Adriaan Strauss, 1-Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: 16-Tiaan Liebenberg, 17-Coenie Oosthuizen, 18-Flip van der Merwe, 19-Marcell Coetzee, 20-Elton Jantjies, 21-Jaco Taute/Juan de Jongh, 22-Pat Lambie.