Aussies enter Boks' mind space
2009-08-07 14:34
Cape Town - There is an air of intimidation hanging over the Springbok camp ahead of Saturday's Tri-Nations clash against Australia at Newlands.
Springbok captain John Smit outlined his fears on Friday morning when he explained the challenge posed by the Wallabies. "They have different strengths and they have good players," said Smit.
"They prepare well and they do their homework.
"They disect South African rugby better than most teams. They have ideas on how to play us and how to play around us.
"They engineer their preparation a bit better than most."
Smit said the build-up to Test matches against England and Australia were usually more intense because of all the "talk and ho-ah" that precedes it.
"What we can expect on Saturday is what we have been getting from Australia over the past couple of seasons - a tough Test match, which could go either way," said Smit.
"They will be able to front up in all departments, it (the contest) will be close everywhere.
"They have a number of players that are stalwarts and one only have to look at their front two - George Smith and Stirling Mortlock.
"George has played over a 100 games and no one can ever remember that he had a bad game. He's been on form since he started out.
"The same could be said about Mortlock, he's the experienced campaigner out wide.
"Around those two guys are formidable players as well, so its a good team of good players.
"Man-for-man they are certainly up to beating any team, so it's a combined team effort they've been building on since (coach) Robbie Deans got there (in December 2007) and that will be our biggest threat on Saturday.
"There is a situation waiting for the team to crack under pressure (after back-to-back Tests against New Zealand).
"Our mindset is getting the intensity up.
"Robbie Deans has done well to keep a consistency (by naming an unchanged team). They played well and probably just lost a Test match they could have won away from home at Eden Park."
- SAPA