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The Wallaby coach, Robbie Deans, has kept faith with the team that defeated the Springboks at Brisbane. Most notably, he has kept the pack that did well in that game, including the young hooker Saia Faignaa.
A number of experts thought Deans would go Stephen Moore, for his bulk and power around the field. But as John Smit showed against the All Blacks last week, the modern game encourages more mobility in the tight forwards and Faignaa, who plays as another loose forward, supplies that for the Wallabies.
Deans has bowed to pressure from most rugby commentators and has brought Scott Higginbotham into the 22. This would have seemed an obvious move following his sensational form against South African sides for the Reds. He got injured. When he came back, so some sources have told me, he found it hard to get up to the fitness required for Test rugby.
He is in the squad now and is likely to get some good time on the field as Deans brings on reserves to counter the effects of altitude.
There was talk before the Test that Deans would go for a five forwards – two backs split. He has resisted this.
The interesting inclusion in the reserves is Anthony Faignaa, as cover for the outside backs, I would guess. Faignaa is direct in his running and general play and if one of the backs is having difficulty with tackling or catching the high balls then Faignaa comes on and there is a shift among the backs to accommodate the change.
On paper, the backline appears to be full of running. But it has to do the job on the field, and this has only happened a couple of times this season.
The weakness of the side is in the front five, in my opinion.
The scrum is still a bit dodgy, although it should be able to cope with an equally dodgy Springboks scrum. I’d like the forwards to be a bit more confrontational against a Springboks pack that is tired and feeling its age. Some rolling mauls and vigorous counter-rucking are in order.
When the side was named, the ARU provided some interesting statistics on the history of Australia-South Africa Tests. These statistics indicate just how hard the task is in front of the Wallabies to win at altitude against the Springboks for the first time in 43 years.
A win on Saturday would reclaim for the Wallabies the Mandela Trophy after Australia won the opening Tri Nations international between the two teams.
The Wallabies team to play South Africa in the Tri Nations Series and Mandela Trophy Test at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria on Saturday 28 August at 5pm (1am, Sun 29 August, AEST) is:
15. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)
14. James O’Connor (Western Force)
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
12. Matt Giteau (Brumbies)
11. Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs)
10. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
8. Richard Brown (Western Force)
7. David Pocock (Western Force)
6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies, captain)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
4. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
3. Salesi Ma’afu (Brumbies)
2. Saia Faingaa (Queensland Reds)
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)
Run on reserves:
16. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
17. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
18. Ben McCalman (Western Force)
19. Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds)
20. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
21. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
22. Anthony Faingaa (Queensland Reds)
Australia v South Africa in South Africa – Historical Notes
This will be the 73rd meeting between Australia and South Africa at all venues. Australia has won 28, including the two most recent meetings, and South Africa 43, while one match has been drawn.
Just eight of Australia’s previous wins have been attained on South African soil, with the Springboks taking the other 29 matches that have been played.
Australia has won just twice previously at high veldt venues – in 1933 at Bloemfontein and 1963 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The Wallabies have been beaten on all four previous visits to Loftus Versfeld in 1963, 1997, 2001 and 2005.
Australia’s most recent win on South African soil was a 27-15 win at Durban in 2008 which secured the Mandela Trophy. That success was the first achieved by the Wallabies in the Republic for eight years.
Prior to South Africa’s readmission to international sport in 1992, Australia had won just seven of the 31 matches played.
The scoreboard stands at 21 wins to Australia and 19 to South Africa, with one drawn, for the period since then.
The 1997 Tri Nations Test at the ground saw Australia concede its highest ever score against South Africa.
South Africa has lost just two of its last 10 Tests at the ground since 2000, with both of those being won by the All Blacks, in 2003 and 2006. Qantas Wallabies head coach Robbie Deans was coaching co-ordinator for the 2003 All Blacks who, in beating South Africa 52-16 at Loftus, inflicted the heaviest ever home defeat on the Springboks.