Mat Giteau denies the Wallabies can't win in South Africa next week

By Iain Payten
August 01, 2009 They are the world champions, provided an emphatic Super 14 victory, beat the British and Irish Lions and last week buried the All Blacks.
And, barring the first, did it all within the space of 60 days.

Such is the escalating momentum of South African rugby many believe this year's Tri-Nations trophy is just another prize to be added to the haul of a powerful, skilful and physically dominant Springboks team.

Wallabies star Matt Giteau, however, prefers a different adjective for the 2009 Boks: "Beatable."

The five-eighth on Friday delivered his gun-barrel straight opinion of Australia's chances against the in-form Africans as the Wallabies departed for Cape Town.

Though impressed with their form against the Lions and the Kiwis, Giteau refused to buy into the theory the Springboks are a class above all else in world rugby.

"If you look at the way they have been playing they are playing some great rugby. As a side they have come a long way since the last Tri-Nations and we know it is going to be a big ask," Giteau said.

"But I think among the group there has always been that certain level of self-belief. We believe if we play well enough we can beat them.

"We know it is going to be a tough match but we know also within our group that they're beatable."

The challenge of an in-form South Africa is heightened by the shadow of yet another hoodoo for the Wallabies.

After failing to snap a 23-year losing streak in Auckland last start, Australia will be chasing their first win at Newlands since 1992.

It is but one of several bogey venues for the Wallabies in Africa, but Giteau believes the experience of breaking a much-hyped eight-year drought in Durban last year has given the team confidence next Saturday's task is not impossible.
"That win at Kings Park really reinforced to us that it is do-able. There is not a big hoodoo attached to South Africa," Giteau said yesterday.

"That was big. For a lot of guys it was their first year in Test rugby and to go over to South Africa and get a win there was huge for the mentality of the group. We know we can go over there, perform well and execute our game plan, if we aim up physically we can win. For sure."

The Wallabies arrived in Cape Town without coach Robbie Deans, who flew home to New Zealand to be with his seriously ill father. Deans is due to travel over on Sunday.

The Boks take on the All Blacks in their second consecutive Test on Saturday night in Durban. The Kiwis will have to contend with the return of "enforcer" Bakkies Botha, who has vowed not to tone down his aggression after a two-game suspension for a dangerous charge against the Lions.

"I'm loving that (enforcer) label, it's like Victor Matfield carrying the lineout label, that's why we're such a formidable team," Botha said.

"I'm going to hit the rucks at 100 per cent. That's the game I love."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-32464,00.html