'Itchy feet': Mystery surrounds Wallabies selection as Eddie weighs up risk and reward factor over key props

Allan Alaalatoa has declared himself fit and ready for the “challenge” of becoming the first Wallabies side to beat the Springboks at Pretoria.

In a double dose of good news too, the tighthead prop said fellow front-rowers Angus Bell (toe) and Taniela Tupou (Achilles) had put themselves in the selection frame after injecting “energy” to the squad since returning from lengthy injury layoffs.

Yet, mystery surrounds selection just days out from Eddie Jones’ first Test in charge of the Wallabies since 2005, with those on the comeback trail from injury putting a cloud over who will line up at Loftus Versfeld.

Indeed, Jones threw a spanner amongst the group when he confirmed Bell, who he previously said would miss the Test, had joined the 36-man travelling group.

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has some crucial decisions to make regarding selection. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Adding to the intrigue, Tupou, who hasn’t played a match since going down in agony at Lansdowne Road last November, was also aboard the Qantas flight to Johannesburg as one of six props.

While Alaalatoa, who suffered a calf injury in the Brumbies’ penultimate round of the regular season in late May, is also back.

Of the trio, Alaalatoa is the only certainty after taking a cautious approach by not rushing back for the Brumbies’ semi-final loss to the Chiefs last month.

“I’m in a good place at the moment,” he said.

“I’ve come into camp last week and I’ve done all the trainings, so I’ve been there ticking all the boxes. If selected, I’ll be ready to go on the weekend.”

Mystery surrounds Taniela Tupou’s availability for the Wallabies’ first Test of the year against the Springboks. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Amongst the travelling group too was versatile lock/blindside flanker Rob Leota, who hasn’t played since his own Achilles injury suffered against the All Blacks in Melbourne last September. While centre Samu Kerevi is also returning from a hamstring injury suffered on May 28.

As such, Jones must weigh up the risk and reward of throwing underdone, albeit powerful pieces of weaponry, back in the pressure cooker melting pot of facing world rugby’s bomb squad at altitude in a place the Wallabies have never tasted a Test victory.

Any injuries, at this late stage of the World Cup cycle, would be a catastrophic blow.

Alaalatoa said the returning injured props had provided the Wallabies an injection of positivity after their long injury layoffs.

“Those two have been unreal,” Alaalatoa said.

“Obviously they’ve been training by themselves for a while, so it would have been a hard, tough grind there and they’ve brought that new energy into the team. They’re just more happy being a part of the team and environment and getting involved.

“They’ve been running amok at training through their ball carries, and you can tell that they have itchy feet to play.

“They’ve been involved in live scrums as well and on eight-on-eight, so they’ve been ticking all the boxes so far. I’m unsure where they’re at but from what I’ve seen, they’re been tracking really well.”

Allan Alaalatoa says the Wallabies must brace themselves for their task awaiting them at the set-piece. (Photo: Getty Images)

The reward is tempting, too.

Jones could yet turn to Matt Gibbon and uncapped Queensland prop Zane Nonggorr, but neither, at this stage of their development, would put the Springboks on notice like Bell or Tupou lining up.

A victory against the odds could also prove to be the springboard needed to turn a new chapter under Jones ahead of their high-stakes World Cup campaign after almost eight years of disappointment.

“It’s a great challenge,” Alaalatoa said.

“It’s something that we’re all excited by. Being a part of the first team to beat South Africa in Pretoria, that’d be awesome and a memory that we will remember forever.”

The focus on the forward pack, particularly the front-row, shouldn’t come as a surprise.

To beat the Boks you’ve got to match them at the set-piece and up front.

It’s something Alaalatoa knows all too well, having beaten them in Adelaide last year before being physically overpowered by a Springboks side in Sydney that was seething from their sleepy showing a week earlier.

“As a forward pack we’ve spoken about it throughout last week, they pride themselves on their set-piece – scrum and maul – and they’ll do that until the cows come up, so around the park they base their game around physicality,” Alaalatoa said.

“It’s important for us to understand that and one we’ve just got to go toe-to-toe.

“The backs will then add the smartness around the game, Marika [Koroibete] just talked about the kicking and playing what’s in front, but in terms of their physicality that you mentioned, it’s going to be huge, especially against South Africa.”

Allan Alaalatoa says matching the physicality of the Springboks and going toe-to-toe with them is essential. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Then there’s the matter of playing in a hostile environment few of the current group have experienced.

Indeed, just seven members of the current Wallabies squad took the field in Johannesburg the last time Australia played in South Africa – a 35-17 thrashing, where Elton Jantjies helped lead the Springboks to a stunning first-up victory in The Rugby Championship to put the wheels in motion ahead of their World Cup triumph later that year in Japan.

Others like Tom Hooper, Nick Frost, Len Ikitau, Mark Nawaqanitawase and Suliasi Vunivalu have yet to even play in South Africa.  

“Our leaders have shared their experiences on what it’s like playing in Pretoria or playing in South Africa with altitude,” Alaalatoa said.

“How they sing the national anthem and everyone gets involved, and how they start the game.

“It was really good to hear from our experienced players and that’s so valuable to some of our young lads, who will be feeding off those blokes come the weekend.  We know there’s going to be some blokes who are nervous, some boys haven’t played in a while, other boys are playing their first game.

“We’re trying to put all that out throughout the week, putting scenarios throughout the week on what we’re going to face so, when it comes, [we’re] ready for it.”