Springbok assistant coach Duane Vermeulen has warned that the Wallabies could hardly be better prepared for the Springboks after feasting on the four-Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry against the All Blacks.
Australia coach Les Kiss and his staff would have watched the series closely, notebooks in hand, as they prepared for Sunday’s Test against the Boks in Perth (kick-off 11.45am).
“Australia have had a good opportunity to watch the Greatest Rivalry series and prep for us, and after this match they go into a Bledisloe series with the All Blacks,” Vermeulen said on Wednesday.
“They will have done their homework around how best to prepare for this game. They will definitely go into this game with a proper plan and hope everything goes their way and they execute it well.”
The Boks have made sweeping changes to the matchday 23 that beat the All Blacks in Baltimore, but Vermeulen believes the newcomers will be hungry to make their mark.
“On our side, obviously we’ve just come out of the Greatest Rivalry series, and we’ve made changes, but the guys playing understand their roles. The focus has been on them, and they know exactly what they need to do.
“Rassie (Erasmus) said at the beginning of the season that everyone would get a shot, and Sunday is about him keeping his word. The guys understand that we don’t just say things; we follow through.
“Hopefully, the guys take their opportunity and show us what they’ve got.”
Vermeulen also dismissed the perception that the Boks drop their intensity when Australia follows a series against New Zealand.
“We don’t go into a Wallabies game saying, ‘Let’s just throw the ball around and have some fun,’ because it is not the All Blacks.
“It is a Tier One nation that is on the rise and playing really well. We have to prepare well.”
The Boks have had two weeks to recover and prepare since leaving Baltimore, and Vermeulen said finding the right balance had been important.
“We have had to balance time off and prep. The big thing has been to focus on the guys who are getting their opportunities and how they must play.
“We are aware that the Wallabies are a team that can come with a different game plan and surprise you with a few plays, with a few tricks.
“And if that happens, well done to them because they have had the time to analyse the Greatest Rivalry.”
Vermeulen expects a Wallabies side that is steadily improving under Kiss to pose a significant threat.
“They’ll be up for it,” he said.
“They are really quick at the breakdown. They’ve got some good poachers, good jackals in their squad, and obviously their scrum is also a threat because they’ve got a different way of scrumming compared to New Zealand.
“We also haven’t faced them this year with their lineouts and mauling. They’re a whole different setup under Les Kiss, and we’ll have a game on our hands come Sunday.
“They’ll be well-prepared and can’t be underestimated.” | IOL Sport