Springboks favourites going into opener

DEFENDING champions South Africa go into this afternoon’s Tri-Nations opener against Australia at Loftus in Pretoria as favourites to get their campaign off to a winning start.

In his first season in charge of the Springboks, coach Jake White last year captured the southern hemisphere competition title with a young and exuberant side that has only improved this year.

Having beaten the Australians in the second leg of the Mandela Challenge at Ellis Park last Saturday, the Boks have the psychological advantage going into this clash.

“We are on a high going into this Test and we need to take advantage of that,” White said yesterday.

The Springboks produced their best effort of the season last week, scoring three tries and running out comfortable 33-20 winners.

But White said: “The energy level we achieved at Ellis Park was great, but this is a new start, a new competition. The past is irrelevant.

“If we can achieve those levels again and mixed with the talent we have, we can beat anyone of any given day.”

A new midfield pairing of Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie were clinical in their attacks last weekend, but more importantly tightened up a shaky defence that kept the Australian partnership of Matt Giteau and Stirling Mortlock at bay.

White has stuck with the centre partnership for this weekend’s clash, but opposite number Eddie Jones has opted for the more probing and powerful Morgan Turinui in the number 13 jersey.

While the Waratahs man should ask more of De Villiers and Fourie on attack, it’s in defence where he’ll have to stand tall. De Villiers especially, since moving from wing to centre, is a skilful player with the ability to unlock any defence.

“Jean brings a new dimension to the backs,” said White. “He plays with a new style to what we’ve been used to up to now and is one of the best decision-makers in the game.

“He controls the attacks and the defensive lines and is a superb communicator. He must go out there, take control and weigh up what must be done.”

Jones has also strengthened his pack, recalling Matt Dunning at tighthead prop, Daniel Vickerman at lock and John Roe among the loose forwards.

Vickerman’s selection will boost the Wallabies considerably and it’ll be up to him to take charge in the lineouts, an area that was last week dominated by the brilliant Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha.

“The lineouts are going to be extremely important. With Dan Vickerman and John Roe coming in we’ll have three jumpers,” said Jones.

White has also made changes to his team, with a fit-again CJ van der Linde returning to the front row, while Blue Bulls players Jacques Cronje and Fourie du Preez return at number eight and scrumhalf respectively.

The Springboks will have the fanatical Pretoria crowd behind them this weekend, something captain John Smit said was like having an extra man on the field.

“They’re a crazy, noisy bunch are the Loftus faithful,” said Smit.

“It’s a special ground to play on, but we also know that won’t bring us victory. Australia will be a lot tougher this weekend so we’ll have to raise our standards once again.”

The Australians will have to forget about the disciplinary problems that have dogged them all week (Matt Henjak was sent home and other players were fined after an unsavoury incident in a nightclub last week) if they’re to have any say in an already mighty challenge awaiting them.

The game is live on Sky Sports Two at 1.30pm.