South Africa’s Springboks take on Australia’s Wallabies in a Tri Nations 4th round match

Date: Saturday, August 13
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 17:05 (15:05 GMT)

Fourie du Preez and Heinrich Brüssow will return to the Springbok starting line-up for the first time in 21 months, following the announcement of the team to meet Australia in a Castle Tri-Nations Series Test at Mr Price Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.

The pair missed the entire 2010 season because of injury but were among 13 changes Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was able to make to the starting line-up that lost 40-7 to New Zealand in Wellington on July 30.

Peter De Villiers’ wishes us to forgett about the past and instead focus on the present – or rather what the future holds for the Springboks come kick-off on Saturday.

“We want to again be the respected team we were two seasons ago and I think that alone is enough motivation in itself.”

Whilst the world champions have an immediate chance to put things right against a Wallabies outfit still hurting from last weekend’s 30-14 defeat to New Zealand, the lack of game-time will count against the Springbok ‘A’ team when they go up against the battle-hardened Aussies.

It would be an understatement to say that this first-string Bok side is undercooked.

Only six of South Africa’s matchday 22 have played Test rugby recently, and of those six, only two (Smit and Rossouw) will start with the remaining four on the bench. Depth in experience could also be a wee bit of a concern if called upon, with two of the Springboks forward replacements having only five caps between them.

Deans want more structure

What infuriated Deans   most about another Eden Park defeat was not the  magnitude of the loss but that the Wallabies made it so much easier for the All  Blacks by not taking their time to set themselves up in a good attacking region  with direct play and instead were herded into a corner by pushing it too quickly  to the sidelines. A team renowned for inspiring ensemble play fell down because  some tried to be individuals and lost their way.

Not surprisingly, Deans has been sighted in huddles with his playmaker, Quade  Cooper. No doubt Deans has been telling Cooper the importance of being a bit  more judicious with his options.

No, he doesn’t want Cooper to suddenly become conservative – far from it –  because Deans knows Cooper’s extraordinary ability to transform a game and his   vision can win  Tri Nations and World Cup trophies. But the message is that the  Queensland Reds and the Wallabies are different outfits, and what works for one  might not always work for the other. Structure in Test matches is crucial, and  expect to see Cooper far more calculating against the Springboks.

Butch vital to Boks succes

With 810 caps, the Boks field the most experienced Test team of all time. Amongst the old heads is fly-half Butch James, who returns to the number ten position he called his own during South Africa’s march to their second World Cup title four years ago. James, who is preferred ahead of Morne Steyn, last started a Test at fly-half against Italy more than a year ago and won the last of his 40 caps against Australia at Loftus Versfeld in 2010. James has his fair share of critics – and just like Marmite, you either love him or you hate him. But nobody can fault his uncompromising defence, deft hands and fearsome competitiveness – all match-winning traits that Bok fans will be hoping come to the fore at his former hunting ground.

Australia: With the Wallabies set for another typically physical battle with the beefed-up Boks, Australia coach Robbie Deans will be banking on recalled veteran lock Nathan Sharpe to put his big frame, dominance in the set piece and vast experience to good use. Also keep an eye out for in-form number eight Scott Higginbotham, who makes his first Test start this weekend. The dynamic Reds back-rower has been rewarded for a series of strong cameos off the bench, and will be looking to press for World Cup selection with another eye-catching performance from the get-go.

Fourie du Preez v Will Genia.

The Springboks welcome back their general and the world’s premier scrumhalf in Du Preez, who missed the entire 2010 season due to injury. In the build-up to Saturday’s Test, the Wallabies scrum-half picked out his opposite number as a player who will make “a massive difference” for South Africa this weekend. It’s pretty hard to argue against Genia’s assessment. The duel between this mercurial duo may well decide the outcome with both set to play a vital link between forwards and backs. They can be individual match-winners in their own right – Du Preez more likely with some kick-chase magic and Genia with a solo run. An intriguing battle awaits.

The teams:

South Africa: 15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Butch James, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Danie Rossouw, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (c), 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Gurthro Steenkamp, 18 Gerhard Mostert, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Morne Steyn, 22 Gio Aplon.

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O’Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom (c), 5 James Horwill, 4 Nathan Sharpe, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Salesi Ma’afu, 18 Sitaleki Timani, 19 Radike Samo, 20 Ben McCalman, 21 Luke Burgess, 22 Anthony Faingaa.

Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)