Australia and South Africa Set to Faceoff
On July 24th, the Australian Wallabies and South African Springboks will faceoff in the third game of the 2010 rugby Tri-Nations Cup. The match is set to go in Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Suncorp has long been a stronghold for the Wallabies and a troubling venue for the Springboks.
Head-to-Head
The Springboks have a distinct advantage in terms of the record between the two sides. The Boks have beaten the Wallabies 47 times, while the Aussies have only won 27 times since their first meeting in 1921.
Heading into the tournament it was thought that the Springboks had the strongest squad and the Wallabies had the weakest. All that has been turned around by the performance of the All Blacks over the past two weeks. The Boks look exposed and slow, something a very young Wallabies side will look to exploit.
The South Africans are also not usually as strong against the Aussies during the Tri-Nations Cup. In the 2009 version of the Cup, the Springboks lost only one match, and it was to the Australian side. The victory in Perth was the only win of the tournament for the Wallabies.
Working against the Springboks is also the fact that traditionally they have not been good in Australia, and even worse in Brisbane. The Boks have not won in Brisbane since 1971, and have only ever won at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground. Suncorp Stadium is to the Wallabies, what Eden Park is to the All Blacks; it is a fortress. The Boks and the Wallabies have met six times at the fabled stadium and the Aussies have won every time. Four of those match-ups came with victories of over 15 points, and one was 12 points. The closest match the two have had at Suncorp was in 1965 when the Wallabies won by four. Since then, it has been complete dominance. The last match took place on September 9th 2009, in which the Aussies managed a 21-6 win.
Table
Heading into this weekends match, the Springboks find their backs up against the wall. They currently sit in last place, having lost two matches with a difference of minus-34. The Aussies sit second, but have yet to play a match, while the All Blacks tower above the competition with 10 points and a difference of plus-34.
Line-up Changes
The Aussies have yet to take the field for the 2010 tournament, so their line-up has yet to be shuffled. However, they have recently gotten a couple players back from injury who should be ready to make the start against the Boks. Lock Nathan Sharpe, along with Loose-head Benn Robinson, will be back to give a boost to the scrum, while scrum-half Will Genia and halfback Quade Cooper will also be ready to make the start. The Reds teammates bring a great deal of chemistry and quickness to an already speedy group of Aussie backs. The Wallabies also get a boost at the hooker position, as Stephen Moore is returning from a two months absence due to a broken jaw. It is doubtful he will start, but he will be on the bench as a sub.
Sprinboks coach Peter de Villiers has decided to make major changes and is replacing nine players, four starters and five bench players. Ruan Pienaar will start at scrum-half, back Francois Hougaard will start on the bench, and Gio Aplon will take over duty on the wing. These back changes come after a horrible second game in New Zealand, in which the Boks were unable to get any offence going. Up front, de Villiers has given a starting spot to BJ Botha, Flip van der Merwe and Juan de Jongh.
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