Rassie Erasmus expects the Wallabies to provide a very different challenge after the Springboks’ gruelling four-Test series against the All Blacks.
The Boks held their first training session at their base in the Australian coastal town of Terrigal on Friday as preparations began for next Sunday’s Test. Erasmus believes the fixture carries added importance because Australia will host next year’s Rugby World Cup.
“People always ask how important is this game?” Erasmus said.
“It’s a Test match against a country that we’ve had a rivalry against since I was playing, since David Campese scored beautiful tries, since Pieter Hendricks scored the opening try against them in Cape Town in the [1995] World Cup.”
Erasmus also reflected on facing Australia during his playing career, including matches against Wallabies greats George Gregan and Stephen Larkham.
“For us it’s massive to be able to play against the World Cup hosts in a big Test match where they will be really fresh and we come from a really tough series against New Zealand,” he said.
MORE: Rassie warns Boks of fired-up Wallabies
Siya Kolisi echoed Erasmus’ assessment of the challenge, while stressing that the Boks will need to adapt to Australia without losing sight of the principles that underpin their game.
The Springbok captain said the squad had settled well into their Australian base and had already enjoyed strong support from South Africans in the area.
“Being here in Australia now preparing for Australia is really important,” Kolisi said.
“It’s a team that we’ve had a couple of tough battles against, but training has been going well this week and it’s been good being here in Terrigal and just seeing a lot of South Africans coming out here to support us.”
ALSO: Boks’ final World Cup warm-up locked in
Kolisi says the fundamentals that served them well against the All Blacks will largely remain the same, barring one or two tweaks.
“Our core values are going to remain the same, the core things that we’re going to work on will also remain the same. Australia is completely different to New Zealand, so we’re going to have to readjust some things.”
SA Rugby confirmed on Friday that the Boks will play Fiji at the 20,000-capacity Central Coast Stadium in Gosford on Saturday, 18 September 2027 as their final warm-up match before the World Cup.
That match will be played 15 days before the Boks begin their title defence against Italy in Adelaide on Sunday, 3 October, as they target an unprecedented third successive World Cup triumph.
Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
The post Boks brace for ‘massive’ Wallabies challenge appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Rassie Erasmus expects the Wallabies to provide a very different challenge after the Springboks’ gruelling four-Test series against the All Blacks.
The post Boks brace for ‘massive’ Wallabies challenge appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
