Wallabies forwards coach Tom Donnelly expects a typical physical onslaught from the Springboks in Perth on Sunday despite changes in personnel.
Rassie Erasmus has made 13 changes to the starting XV that beat the All Blacks in Baltimore, with only lock Eben Etzebeth and winger Ethan Hooker retaining their places.
But Donnelly does not expect that to alter the Boks’ approach up front.
“We know the scrum’s going to be a big part of the game, we know they’re going to maul,” he said. “No matter who they pick, they’ve got probably two or three packs that are very, very class.
“It’s all just a matter of focusing on ourselves, we know what we need to do to front up and go out there with a bit of an attacking mindset against them … we know what’s coming.
“If we can front up there physically and then be accurate with how we want to execute, then that will give us a chance to match up with them.”
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Wallabies tighthead prop Taniela Tupou is well acquainted with the South African challenge, having faced the Boks nine times during his Test career.
The 30-year-old stressed that matching the world champions physically would require a collective effort from the Australian pack.
“It’s not just me, it’s us as a group, as a forward pack,” Tupou said. “Obviously, I can’t go out there and do it on my own, so I rely on everybody to do their job and myself to do my job. It’s a bit different coming against the Springboks.”
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The Boks have named an inexperienced starting front row of Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar and Zachary Porthen, but Erasmus can call on Ox Nché, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw from the bench.
Tupou knows exactly what awaits whichever Wallabies tighthead is on the field when Nché enters the fray.
“Ox is such a good scrummager, they’re so strong, so if it’s me or Allan [Alaalatoa] or Zane [Nonggorr] whoever’s at tighthead prop, they have to be at their best because if you don’t, you know what’s going to happen.”
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Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The post ‘We know what’s coming’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Wallabies forwards coach Tom Donnelly expects a typical physical onslaught from the Springboks in Perth on Sunday despite changes in personnel.
The post ‘We know what’s coming’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
