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Why the Springboks have 'everything to lose' against the Wallabies
By Josh Raisey
With South Africa set to get their Rugby Championship campaign underway with two Tests in Australia, former Springboks centre Jean de Villiers believes the world champions have “everything to lose” against the Wallabies.
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The Springboks kick off the 2024 Championship in Brisbane at the Suncorp Stadium, a venue where they have only beaten the Wallabies once before, and that is the only factor that de Villiers believes may play against Rassie Erasmus’ side.
On the basis of what he saw in the Wallabies’ 2-0 series win over Wales and the Springboks’ drawn series with Ireland, the former centre struggles to see where Joe Schmidt’s side can hurt his compatriots.
Speaking on the latest episode of RugbyPass TV’s Boks Office, the World Cup winner twisted the knife by asserting that the Wallabies are “not even part of the conversation” for the top eight teams in the world.
Of course, before facing Australia, South Africa host Portugal in Bloemfontein on Saturday, a match where Erasmus has made sweeping changes. They will then switch their focus to the Wallabies three weeks later.
“We have everything to lose in this two Test match series against Australia,” de Villiers said.
“Because, honestly speaking, they’re not even part of the conversation for top eight teams in world rugby at the moment.
“Yes, the history in terms of the venue is counting against us. You take our team and you take the Australia team at the moment, there’s only one team.
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“We really have everything to lose. Because even if you take the South Africa performance against Wales at Twickenham, then you take that same Wales team being very competitive against Australia in Australia, I’m trying to find in my head a reason to say Australia will be really tough for us and I can’t besides the fact that history is against us in terms of the venue.
“Even if you look at the performances of Australia the last two weeks, they were put under pressure at times by Wales. So our biggest risk is underestimating the challenge that is Australia – you need to have your basics in place, you need to treat them with respect – and if we do do that, then I think we’ll be able to get those wins.”
It will all depend on the health of the Boks. They just had four big injuries. At the end of a long season they must be tired.
So at the World Cup, I had a nasty feeling about England going in to that semi-final.
And I have (and always have) the same feeling heading into a game with Australia.
We don’t have a great record against them in Australia, they will improve significantly by the time we meet them, home advantage, underdog status, time to settle.
And every South African can relate - but those damn Aussies always find a way to get under our skin and beat us. It’s a gift.
So Ja, I’d go into these two games thinking of them as world beaters, the Aussies we all know and love.
And maybe we walk over them anyway. But too risky to take them for granted.
Agreed. The Boks have a nasty way of losing to lesser teams. Japan for instance. If they underestimate the Wallabies, they will lose. Joe Schmidt is a very very good coach.
I thought this was an article from Ben Smith when I saw the headline but Jean de Villiers is right.