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Dave Pocock goes in for his first try for the Wallabies (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
It’s time for the most anticipated sporting event of the weekend: the Wallabies fight for their Rugby World Cup lives this afternoon when they face the Springboks in Wellington. Join us for live score updates and a blog from 4.00pm AEDT.
After succumbing to the Irish three weeks ago, the Wallabies have been in zombie mode, waltzing through glorified training exercises against the USA and Russia.
Now is their chance to atone.
Robbie Deans has had the luxury of recalling several key members of the backline, with Kurtley Beale, Pat McCabe and Digby Ioane all returning from injuries layoffs, giving Australia’s backline a far more potent look.
His South African counterpart Peter de Villiers has no such luxuries, with veteran lock Bakkies Botha and inside centre Frans Steyn both ruled out of the tournament, though he has suitable replacements in Danie Roussow and Jean de Villiers.
The Springboks appeared to be steadily building toward the knockout stage before a listless performance last Friday night against Samoa, struggling to a 13-5 victory.
They were continually exposed out wide and Deans will be delighted that Beale and Ioane are back to exploit what is unquestionably one of the Springboks’ greatest weaknesses.
In the two sides’ Tri Nations meetings this year, the Wallabies have comfortably dominated the Springboks, although it must be said that this is a different Springboks unit to the one that lined up back in August.
The sides have split their Rugby World Cup meetings, with the Springboks defeating the Wallabies 27-18 in South Africa in 1995, before the Wallabies famously turned the tables four years later, winning 27-21 in the semi-final off Stephen Larkham’s boot.
While the Wallabies will look to move the ball wide, this match will ultimately be won and lost in the trenches, and the battle between Pocock/Elsom and Brussow/Berger will be worth the price of admission alone.
There’s no turning back from here; the winners will move into a likely winner-takes-all showdown with the All Blacks, and the losers will pack their bags and go home.
Can the Wallabies banish the Boks and keep the dream alive? Join us from 4.00pm AEDT for minute-by-minute score updates and an interactive blog and give us your thoughts on the action as it happens.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.