Good evening and welcome to tonight’s live scores and blog of the Wallabies hosting the Springboks live from Patersons Stadium in Perth with kickoff from 8.05pm AEST.
This match represents a ‘do or die’ affair for both teams at this stage of the tournament.
South Africa currently lead the Championship but a loss tonight would most likely see them fall behind the All Blacks and having the challenging assignment of then having to win in New Zealand the following week to keep their Championship hopes alive.
A loss for Australia would essentially end any remaining hopes they may harbour towards challenging for the Championship.
The Springboks have been scratchy in their first up games, struggling for continuity and combinations so far in the Championship and Heneke Meyer has selected two of his most experienced heads in Victor Matfield and Morne Steyn to steady the ship in Perth. These selections would suggest the Springboks will be looking to play a structured and methodical game plan which has worked so well for them in recent memory.
However, in order for this to work the forwards will need to dominate the contact areas and this has been where the Springboks have been found wanting at times in recent matches however this cannot be said of their number eight Duane Vermuelen who has been tireless in his work for the Springboks particularly in defence and shapes up as a key man for the Springboks tonight.
The Wallabies suffered a demoralising loss at Eden Park two weeks ago and have had over two weeks to dwell on the matter. Coach Ewen McKenzie has surprised many by naming an unchanged starting forward pack to face the Springboks tonight in a showing of faith that Eden Park was an aberration however he has looked for different options from his bench, opting for six forwards including recalling both James Horwill and Matt Hodgson along with Scott Higginbotham to possibly add some vigour to the forward effort if required with Will Skelton dropping out of the twenty three altogether.
Changes however have been made to his backline with Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps being asked to start in place of Nic White and Kurtley Beale who both ride the pine this week which has seen popular agreement among fans and a hope this may prove a real difference for the Wallabies after lacklustre performances from the originally selected pair.
Other changes see Adam Ashley Cooper pushed out to wing in place of the retired Pat McCabe and Tevita Kuridrani reinstated at centre in a reshuffled backline that overall looks more balanced than in the first two Bledisloes.
This game, as indeed most are will be decided up front and how both teams fare will be of great interest to both Springbok and Wallaby fans who are expecting more from their respective teams after less than satisfactory performances so far this tournament.
An exciting encounter is in promise tonight and another chapter in this hard fought rivalry for the Mandela Challenge Plate and Championship points will be written tonight.
Join us here on the Roar for live updates from 8.05pm AEST and don’t forget to have your say on the action as it unfolds!
Tip: Wallabies by 6
IvanN
Guest
Meyer made a mistake - had he stuck with Pollard and Played Hougaard or Reinach at 9, boks would have won this game comfortably. Ruan drops ball in front of line to not finish off great break by habana, Ref penalises vermeulen for being too strong, aussies score of steyn error at end while habana is off for seemingly soft card. In all, lets put into perspective - boks should have scored that try, Aussies should not have gotten 3 pointed for Vermeulens challenge nor try at end - puts score somewhere around 30 - 14, and that was a home test for the aussies - Back in SA, There will be a record thumping against Aus.... provided Meyer picks Lambie and Pollard to close out the comp, and drops steyn and pienaar. If Boks play Lambie / Hougaard this weekend - with messam and whitelock injured, i think an upset is possible.
IvanN
Guest
I want to blame everyone including the neighbors cat for this... but lets be realistic, we played a poor game plan with poor execution for too long in the test. The play around when we scored that try was good and positive and we should have calmed. reset and gone back to it thereafter, instead Morne and Ruan kicked everything into the air and hoped someone will catch it. That is poor, and the Boks will need to re-evaluate that if they hope to challenge NZ... You're not going to rain balls down onto Dagg, Cruden or Savea and expect to pick them off. Run at them, you have hte skills but lack the belief. Without Whitelock and Messam the Boks have a great opportunity to take the blacks upfront... dominate set pieces and spin the balls wide.... should be a cracker.
Harry Jones
Expert
Good post Beat NZ
Bob Herbert
Guest
Surely this bloke isn't complaining about a referee who kept his team in front on technicalities until Australia scored a brilliant try to double the contribution of his lot to what is after all the aim of the game?
Bob Herbert
Guest
Two tries to one.
Bob Herbert
Guest
Kick the ball into the stands? That really says it all. Makes you wonder why Bill Ellis bothered.
Ra
Guest
That's because everyone else is doing their job in the All Blacks, so opportunities for individuals are less. Not taking anything away from Kuridrano's taking advantage of the fantastic opportunities to impress last night, the Springboks defensive line up out wide was absolutely rubbish. The Argies were very impress. A better measure will be the cross over games matches.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Thanks Digger I'll get it right one day....... its the Alzheimer’s kicking in! At least I got the "A" right
BOP
Guest
@kuruki - You're probably right. And he wasn't playing 10 when he came on.
Boomeranga
Guest
Stephen Donald says hi
Magic Sponge
Guest
totally agree , cards are the home teams get of gaol free card, guaranteeing the home team wins. They should only be used as a last resort not everytime
Magic Sponge
Guest
Folau is huge saw him next to Hooper, Hada blinder apart from his kicking. I think if he had a season of S15 in the centers , that would be his better position as he has not mastered positional play.
Magic Sponge
Guest
The ref destroyed the game again and gave us the victory. I wlll never go o Pattersons again worst than Homebush no atmosphere whattsoever
44bottles
Roar Guru
Not with how the wallabies are playing. The style needs the smaller skilled player at 12 and the big abrasive player at 13. If they were to change it up then I could see him being there, but he would have to play there in Super Rugby first.
Mielie
Guest
Congratulations to the Wallabies on their win. It must be a tad embarrassing though, supporting a team that is only able to beat the Springboks on contentious ref decisions. OZ commentators are not the best in the world, but even they were very vocal regarding Habana's yellow
Mark
Guest
NH refs should not be allowed in the Rugby Championship Let them stink up their own competitions
Mark
Guest
Worst peformance by a ref in some time!
RobC
Roar Guru
I guess the time spent there was to master the handball, EG
RobC
Roar Guru
And thats how you play Rugby, in particular the loose scrum.
Xenomorph
Guest
I did it on most outstanding performance with either bad or good previous/follow up performances taken into account. C.Smith was a 7 in test 2 and a 7 in test 3 imo. Kurindrani was a 9 last night. 122 metres, 6 tackle busts, 2 offloads, 1 try assist, 2 clean breaks, tackles 7/0 To say C.Smith was ever better than that during his 2 RC games is the joke. Flanker was a tough one and I forgot to put in.