ANDY COLQUHOUN, Cape Town | Friday 3.00pm.
NEW Zealand will not be on the pitch when South Africa meet Australia at Newlands on Saturday but it is the All Blacks who will give the Tri-Nations test its meaning and context.
Their three victories in the competition have been gathered with consummate ease, setting a new benchmark for aspiring World Cup winners and leaving the Springboks and Wallabies racing to catch up.
“They have the set standards by which we have to measure ourselves,” said Australian coach Rod Macqueen whose side were beaten 35-15 in their last outing against the All Blacks. “I would hope there’s not a great deal we have to do to catch up but they have got the runs on the board.”
Macqueen added, “we haven’t been altogether happy with the way we have been going. We had a bit of a step back against the All Blacks and we know we can do a lot better.” The Wallabies at least have a 32-6 victory over South Africa in Brisbane to give them encouragement.
By contrast the Springboks go into the game burdened by waning confidence and knowing a fifth successive defeat in 1999 would make this their worst losing run in 34 years. Their 34-18 and 28-0 defeats by the All Blacks in the Tri-Nations were their biggest home and away losses to their most bitter rivals.
“They have set the standard,” said Springbok coach Nick Mallett. “But I wouldn’t draw any comparisons between Australia and New Zealand. They are both very good teams and we have been beaten well by both of them.”
The Springboks make four changes — three of them forced by injury — with the most significant coming at flyhalf where Jannie de Beer makes his first appearance since the end of 1997 in place of Gaffie du Toit who is dropped to the bench.
Centre Brendan Venter makes his comeback after three years out of contention in place of the injured Franco Smith while he is partnered by Robbie Fleck who replaces broken ankle victim Andre Snyman.
The only change in the pack is at flank where Andre Vos starts ahead of the benched Ruben Kruger who has been hampered by a slight hamstring strain. The Wallabies have made five changes in the pack, an area where they have struggled to compete with their southern hemisphere rivals to date. Macqueen fields an entirely new front row of props Andrew Blades and Richard Harry, hooker Phil Kearns and the physically more imposing Tom Bowman at lock and Toutai Kefu at eighth man.
New Zealand lead the Tri-Nations standings with three wins out of three while Australia have won one and lost one to South Africa’s three defeats. Despite poor Springbok form Macqueen fights shy of accepting the label of favourites. “We haven’t won here since 1992, while the Springboks have their backs to the wall and are going to produce a very passionate performance,” he said.
The forecast for rain may hamper Australia’s hopes of playing an expansive game and producing the win to keep alive their hopes of pipping the All Blacks for the Tri-Nations title. But it would suit the Springboks who will take any kind of victory at any price.
“The preparation for the World Cup will be far easier if we come off a win when we meet Scotland in our first match,” against Mallett. The final Tri-Nations match is between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney on August 28. –MWP
South Africa
– 15-Percy Montgomery; 14-Deon Kayser, 13-Robbie Fleck, 12-Brendan Venter, 11-Pieter Rossouw; 10-Jannie de Beer, 9-Joost van der Westhuizen (caqptain); 8-Rassie Erasmus, 7-Andre Venter, 6-Andre Vos, 5-Albert van den Berg, 4-Selborne Boome, 3-Cobus Visagie, 2-Naka Drotske, 1-Os du Randt.
Australia
– 15-Matt Burke; 14-Ben Tune, 13-Daniel Herbert, 12-Nathan Grey, 11-Joe Roff; 10-Tim Horan, 9-George Gregan; 8-Toutai Kefu, 7-David Wilson (captain), 6-Matt Cockbain, 5-Tom Bowman, 4-David Giffin, 3-Andrew Blades, 2-Phil Kearns, 1-Richard Harry.
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