Tri-Nations
Boks' physicality 'scary'
2009-08-02 22:00
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Wallaby skipper Stirling Mortlock (File)
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Cape Town - The Wallabies made no secret of the fact that they were in awe of the physicality of the Springboks after watching them power to victory against the All Blacks on television at their Cape Town hotel on Saturday.
The 36 Test-capped Australian hooker Stephen Moore on Sunday morning remarked: "It (the Springboks' physicality in Durban) was quite scary. We'll have to front up and it's something that we've been working hard at in training and we know what to expect.
"The physical side will be crucial and playing a Test in South Africa is one of the great things for us (Australians)."
The Australian assistant coaches Jim Williams and Richard Graham who will be preparing the side for Saturday's Tri-Nations Test against the Springboks at Newlands both agreed that their players will have to front up to the Springboks' physicality if they had any chance of winning.
The Wallaby head coach Robbie Deans did not travel with the team to Cape Town because he is attending to a family bereavement in his native city, Christchurch, New Zealand.
"It's really just a matter of fronting up because if you don't, you won't win," said Graham, the former Wallaby Sevens player who nowadays is the national team's skills coach. "At the set-pieces you have to confront their (the Boks) forwards by trying different tactics.
"We saw that in the Test against the All Blacks the Boks work very hard off the ball and they kick very well. That helped them to take the game away from the All Blacks.
"There will be a big responsibility on our forwards in the fringe areas to exert pressure. The Boks managed to exert great pressure on the All Blacks' back three with sound positional play and supporting each other."
Williams said the Wallaby players have no other option but to face the Boks' physicality head-on.
"Knowing what to except doesn't make it any easier and getting it right on the say is all that matters," said Williams, the former Australia Sevens and Wallaby loose forward.
"What we need to do is just to head front-up and get momentum going forward.
"Certain aspects of the Springboks' pressure play in Durban was near perfect and they did well to convert that pressure into points with fantastic kicking.
"We're (the Australians) are experienced at coping with pressure and we know what we have to do. We have to make sure that the support, commitment and physicality will be there.
"The scrums will be a physical battle and it will be very difficult. The Boks have a fantastic line-out and we'll have to get our details right in order for things to work for us.
"The Springboks' physicality is of the highest order."