Can the Springboks get their 2023 season underway with a win against Australia in the first round of the Rugby Championship? Get the latest team news, kick-off times and more here!
Does Eddie have a trick up his sleeve?
Never shy to offer up an opinion, Eddie Jones has been as vocal as ever since replacing Dave Rennie as Wallabies head coach in January. Despite taking over a side that has won just 38% of their matches over the last three seasons, the 63-year-old is adamant he can lead his home nation to Bledisloe and World Cup success this year in true “smash and grab” style.
First up for them are the Boks at Loftus, a venue at which the Aussies have never won since playing the first of their seven Tests there back in 1963. The altitude and physicality factor will be massive for them, but can they catch the Handre Pollard-less world champs unaware?
Click here to see Shaun Goosen’s full match preview for this fixture.
👏 Werner Greeff's late line-break
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) September 26, 2018
4⃣ Jongi Nokwe's four tries
3⃣ @BryanHabana's hat-trick
WATCH some of the @Springboks best tries against the Wallabies in 🇿🇦#SSRugby pic.twitter.com/NLKuaTcBOP
Betting Odds
To Win
South Africa 3/10 | Draw 25/1 | Australia 26/10
Handicap
South Africa (-8.5) 9/10 | Australia (+8.5) 9/10
The hosts are rightly priced as heavy favourites to take this one, with the Wallabies’ low world ranking (seventh) and poor form at the ground a big factor in the final assessment.
Teams
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche
Substitutes: 16 Joseph Dweba, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Evan Roos, 21 Deon Fourie, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Damian Willemse
Australia
15 Tom Wright, 14 Suliasi Vunivalu, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Nic White, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 David Porecki, 1 James Slipper (c)
Substitutes: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Matt Gibbon, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Richie Arnold, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Samu Kerevi, 23 Carter Gordon
When And Where To Watch
Build-up to this 2023 Rugby Championship opener starts at 16:00, with match coverage beginning at 16:55 on SuperSport Grand Stand.
Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
The Springboks boast a 7-0 record over Australia at the Bull Ring and will look to add to that tally this weekend. The first clash between the teams at the venue came back in 1963 in a 14-3 win for the Boks during the drawn (2-2) series of that year.
The sides last met in Pretoria in 2016 when an Adriaan Strauss-inspired performance from the hosts earned them an 18-10 win.
The 51,762-capacity stadium was built in 1906, opening 17-years later.
