OWN CORRESPONDENT, Brisbane | Wednesday 3.30pm.
SPRINGBOK coach Nick Mallet says his team’s best chance of beating the Wallabies in Saturday’s Tri-Nation’s clash was to play the ball in the forwards and keep it away from Australia’s backs.
Mallett is opting for this approach after the disastrous showing against New Zealand last Saturday, and numerous problems with his half-back pairing, that forced seven changes in his starting line-up.
Coming off their worst defeat ever, a loss to Wales, and injuries to captain Gary Teichmann and flanker Corne Krige, the world champions may be on the ropes.
”We didn’t play rugby at all on Saturday and it’s the first game under my coaching that we haven’t played rugby,” he said of the 28-0 thrashing.
”But that’s not going to happen on Saturday. We’re going to try and take them on in the forwards and we’re definitely going to keep the ball in hand and try and create some opportunities.”
As expected, Mallett has recalled Werner Swanepoel and Braam van Straaten tot he pivotal scrumhalf/flyhalf positions after the inexperienced duo of Dave von Hoesslin and Gaffie du Toit came unstuck under the enormous pressure from the All Blacks.
But with injuries to both Japie Mulder, whose calf strain gives him only a 40% likelihood of playing, and Pieter Muller (60% with a stiff back), Mallett has a crisis in midfield. He has named Robbie Fleck, who brought attacking flair and very needed penetration into a static backline against the All Blacks when he came on as a substitute, as outside centre. However, if neither Muller or Mulder are fit, he could be forced to move Fleck, a specialist outside centre, into the number 12 berth and bring in Deon Kayser outside him. ”Inside centre is a specialist position and we will give Japie Mulder and Pieter Muller as much time as possible to prove their fitness. That could mean that clarity on the position is only reached at the captain’s practice on Friday,” Mallett said.
Flanker Rassie Erasmus becomes the seventh South African captain, replacing No. 8 and regular skipper Teichmann, who was injured against the All Blacks last weekend. ”Consistency of selection comes with successful results,” Mallett said. ”I went 17 tests last year without making many changes and the players understood that was because they were performing well.”
Bizarrely, Stefan Terblanche takes over on the left wing from Pieter Rossouw, who is on of the side’s more consistent players. Mallett has also retained the pedestrian Percy Montgomery at fullback.
In the pack, Selborne Boome comes in for Mark Andrews, while Andre Vos and Erasmus replace the injured Gary Teichmann and Corne Krige respectively.
South Africa: Percy Montgomery; Breyton Paulse, Robbie Fleck, Japie Mulder or Pieter Muller or Deon Kayser, Stefan Terblanche; Braam Van Straaten, Werner Swanepoel; Andre Vos, Andre Venter, Rassie Erasmus (captain), Krynauw Otto, Selborne Boome, Cobus Visagie, Naka Drotske, Os Du Randt. — Reuters