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Georgina Robinson September 25, 2013
The Wallabies saw it coming in Brisbane and they know what they're in for in Cape Town.
The million dollar question is, can they stop it this time? "If [the Springboks] are talking about playing us, they're talking about bashing us physically and not too much else outside of that," hooker Stephen Moore said in one of the better distillations of South Africa's tactical approach in Wallabies week.
"They're talking about field position, getting penalties, building a score - with [five-eighth Morne Steyn] being a very accurate goal kicker - and then when they get into our half they're going to look to drive when they get opportunities."
Nic White will start at halfback ahead of WIll Genia for the second Test in a row.
Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie will make four changes to the side with this in mind, welcoming back captain and strong scrummager James Horwill to the second row, starting imposing Brumbies mid-fielder Tevita Kuridrani at outside centre, moving Adam Ashley-Cooper to the wing and starting Joe Tomane on the other flank to cover for suspended winger James O'Connor and the injured Nick Cummins.
He will also stick with Nic White at halfback, giving the Wallabies the flexibility to play field position rather than expend energy running the ball into a wall of dark green jerseys, leaving Will Genia on the bench.
Experienced Test prop Benn Robinson will also come into the side, joining second rower Sitaleki Timani on the bench for impact and starch up front. \
The Wallabies know that if they allow the Springboks to steamroll them physically, their one-point win in Perth last week will count for nothing. "You've got to go out there with that desire and drive to impose yourself physically against these guys," Moore said. "They play a very direct game plan, their forwards run straight and hard, they tackle hard, they have a presence on the ball and they maul. There are no secrets to the way they play.
"In terms of how you prepare for that, we don't spend too long talking about the tactical side of it, it's all the mental and physical side of things and that's going to be key this week."
Timani once said that if he saw Wycliff Palu make a big hit he would be right for the night, fired up by his No.8's aggression and keen to follow suit.
In the injury-enforced absence of their human wrecking ball, the Wallabies need someone else to take the lead at Newlands Stadium, or they risk watching the Springboks feed off each other as they did in Brisbane, each scrum penalty prompting cheers and back-slaps among the South African pack.
"If you have a really good scrum early in the game, or a really good driving maul, or if you get your kick-off back, those kind of moments are really important in these games," Moore said. "And if you can get on the front foot early, the crowd comes down a little bit and you're into the game. We've spoken a lot about the first period of the game being important. If you let them get on top early a Newlands crowd is extremely loud and you're in for a tough day."
The Test match will be another day of reckoning for the Wallabies scrum, with Moore revealing its recent struggles under the new laws had been keeping him up at night.
"I have had sleepless nights over it, I've been stewing over it, particularly when you have two weeks between games," he said.
"It's very frustrating, everyone in the team, coaches included, want it to be right, and it's up to us on the weekend to make sure it is right.
"Every time we have won over here our set piece has done well, that's a good starting point. I suppose I am a bit biased being a front rower, and I take that very personally, that side of the game."
Wallabies: Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Joe Tomane, Quade Cooper, Nic White, Ben Mowen , Michael Hooper, Scott Fardy, James Horwill (c), Rob Simmons, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, James Slipper. Reserves: Saia Fainga'a, Benn Robinson, Sekope Kepu, Sitaleki Timani, Ben McCalman, Will Genia, Matt Toomua, Chris Feauai-Sautia.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...#ixzz2g31l8gTp
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