Important for Springboks to hit the ground running says Nienaber

Rugby Championship
South Africa vs Australia 

Cbus Super Stadium 

Brisbane, Gold Coast, Australia 

Sunday, 12 September 

Kick-off is at 12:05 CAT 

Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber has emphasised the importance of his team hitting the ground running against Australia at Cbus Super Stadium on Sunday. 

South Africa face the Wallabies in their third match of the 2021 Rugby Championship tournament this weekend, three weeks after the second of two matches against Argentina in Gqeberha. 

The Springboks are on a four-game winning run across all competitions having followed back-to-back wins over the British & Irish Lions with successive victories over Argentina at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. 

“We had sufficient time since our last Test to give the players a break after the physically taxing start to the season, and to work in a hard conditioning week before we tackle the remaining four Castle Lager Rugby Championship matches,” said Nienaber.

“We will be tested thoroughly in the next four weeks, so we have to be up for the challenge mentally and physically. There are also trophies such as the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate and the Freedom Cup up for grabs, so we will prepare well and give our best on the field.”

The two wins over Argentina has left South Africa on nine points after two matches, a point behind New Zealand who they will face on successive weekends after their back-to-back meetings with Australia. 

The Wallabies are yet to register a point following home and away defeats to the All Blacks who have accumulated a maximum haul of 10 points from their allotted fixtures. 

This will be the first meeting between South Africa and Australia since a 35-17 win for the Springboks at Emirates Airline Park in July 2019. 

South Africa vs Australia head-to-head statistics:

Matches played: 88

South Africa wins: 48

Australia wins: 37

Draws: 3 

Springbok team to face Australia: 
15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 66 caps, 60 pts (12t)
14 – Sbu Nkosi (Cell C Sharks) – 12 caps, 40 pts (8t)
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 19 caps, 20 pts (4t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Munster) – 51 caps, 30 pts (6t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 18 caps, 80 pts (16t)
10 – Handré Pollard (vice-captain, Montpellier) – 53 caps, 521 pts (6t, 82c, 105p, 4d)
9 – Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks) – 32 caps, 25 pts (5t)
8 – Duane Vermeulen (Vodacom Bulls) – 53 caps, 15 pts (3t)
7 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 44 caps, 5pts (1t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 56 caps, 30 pts (6t)
5 – Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks) – 50 caps, 25 pts (5t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Toulon) – 90 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 43 caps, 5pts (1t)
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers) – 41 caps, 40 pts (8t)
1 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 52 caps, 5pts (1t)

Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 39 caps, 35 pts (7t)
17 – Ox Nché (Cell C Sharks) – 4 caps, 0 pts
18 – Vincent Koch (Saracens) – 24 caps, 0 pts
19 – Marco van Staden (Leicester Tigers) – 6 caps, 0 pts
20 – Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo) – 12 caps, 5 pts (1t)
21 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 5 caps, 0 pts
22 – Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers) – 14 caps, 25 pts (5t)
23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 12 caps, 5pts (1t)