Mortlock: We won't be ruffled

2008-07-18 22:27

Perth - Australian rugby captain Stirling Mortlock demanded discipline from his players if the Springboks attempted to provoke them in Saturday's Tri-Nations Test to be played at the Subiaco Oval.

Earlier Bok coach Peter de Villiers challenged the Wallabies by saying that he was aware of the threats the "Wallabies can pose to us but, then again, it's war and you die."

Such sentiments, Rugby Heaven's website said would concern some Wallabies who, over the years, had been victims of unsavoury Springboks tactics.

The website said the Springboks had dramatically cleaned up their act since, but their underhanded tactics returned during last week's win over the All Blacks, with hooker Bismarck du Plessis suspended for three weeks for eye-gouging Adam Thomson.

'We've spoken about penalties'

On the eve of the Perth Test, the Wallabies were shrewd enough not to buy into the argument that the Springboks go too far. But they have made a pact not to get sucked in.

The website quoted Mortlock as saying: "Discipline has been a focus for us lately. In the first Test against France we gave away about 19 penalties, and the second we gave away only about nine. So we've spoken about that, in particular our ability in the Tri-Nations to punish opponents when they are ill-disciplined."

The Wallabies discovered another potentially influential player in the game on Friday when they completed their preparations with a captain's run in near cyclonic winds and driving rain at the Subiaco Oval.

The tradition of having the team photograph on the ground before the start of training was stopped, with everyone instead quickly heading to the shelter and safety of indoors.

After last week's epic 30-28 victory, reports sportingo.com's website, the Boks must come back down to earth and focus on an altogether different challenge against a wily Wallaby side.

Monty out of match 22

The Boks - who regained their number one ranking after their first win in New Zealand for ten years - face a Wallaby side under the supreme tutelage of former Crusaders coach Robbie Deans.

Peter Grant, Ryan Kankowski and Tendai Mtawarira are the new men on the bench, while Pierre Spies, Francois Steyn and Conrad Jantjes all return to the Springbok team to face the Wallabies. Jantjes has been preferred to Monty, who drops out of the match 22 altogether.

Steyn replaces Adi Jacobs at outside centre who is injured, but has out-done himself so far this season. Joe van Niekerk also fails to crack the match 22. Luke Watson has also been left in the cold.

Teams:

Australia: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes, Stirling Mortlock (captain), Berrick Barnes, Lote Tuqiri, Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess, Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Rocky Elsom, Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill, Al Baxter, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson.

Reserves: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Matt Dunning, Hugh McMeniman, Phil Waugh, Sam Cordingley, Ryan Cross, Drew Mitchell.

South Africa: Conrad Jantjes, JP Pietersen, Frans Steyn, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Butch James, Ricky Januarie, Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield (captain), Bakkies Botha, CJ van der Linde, Schalk Brits, Gurthro Steenkamp.

Reserves: Andries Strauss, Tendai Mtawirara, Brian Mujati, Andries Bekker, Ryan Kankowski, Ruan Pienaar, Peter Grant.

Kick-off: 12:05 (SA time).

- Sport24