Adnaan Mohamed - Sport24's man on tour with the Boks

Perth - Springbok fullback Ruan Pienaar is expecting an aerial onslaught from the Wallabies when they clash with the Springboks in a Tri-Nations encounter at the Subiaco Oval in Perth on Saturday.

“I know they (the Wallabies) are going to test me with the high ball,” Pienaar said on Friday.

“I will however have good support with JP (Pietersen) and Bryan (Habana) at the back. Hopefully it won’t be too much of a problem.

“To get a win this weekend will be great for us. We shouldn’t look at the big prize at the end, but should rather focus on each game as it comes. There is obviously a lot of confidence in the team and hopefully we can do it,” he said.

Pienaar last played in the last line of defence for the Boks in 2007. He sees his role at fullback as a new challenge and hopes to make the best of the opportunity.

“I will just have to make the best of the situation. I played my first game for the Boks in the No 15 jersey against Tonga at the World Cup in 2007. I then played twice against the Wales and once against the Barbarians on the end of the year tour. It’s obviously a bit new to me, but luckily I have Monty (Percy Montgomery) to help out a bit.”

According to Pienaar he will try to get the basics right first and not try too many different things. But if the situation beckons he won’t hold back.

“I love to run with the ball. If the opportunity presents itself I would like to have a go. I think with Morné (Steyn) and myself on the field it gives us a few options. I could possibly move to flyhalf on attack. I can slot in the flyhalf channel and will try to create something, but I have been chosen as a fullback and I first have to do the job well there.” he said.

According to Pienaar it’s great to be able to call on his dad Gysie (a former Springbok fullback and backline coach) for tips.

“Maybe I will give him a call and ask him for some advice. Obviously I have spoken to him a bit in the past. His advice always relaxes me.”

Pienaar has  been moved around quite a bit in his career and he says he would have liked to have had an extended run in the flyhalf position in the Super 14 for the Sharks, but unfortunately he picked up an injury and missed about six or seven weeks of rugby.

“I was fairly happy with the progress I made and I thought it went well in the first Test against the Lions. I missed six kicks in two games. It was one of the jobs that I had to do as a flyhalf. It didn’t go well, but I thought the other games where I had to kick (as a flyhalf) were better.”

Pienaar however believes his move to fullback is not a permanent one.

“I don’t think it’s a career move. With Fransie (Frans Steyn) leaving the country, he is obviously going to leave a gap there with Conrad (Jantjes) still injured. We still have guys like Zane Kirchner and Stefan Terblanche who have also been playing brilliant rugby the last couple of years. I think the coach just wants to see how it goes. I am not too sure what the thinking is behind the move, but it’s a good challenge for me,” he added.
 
*Adnaan Mohamed is on tour with the Springboks and will be writing a daily report from Australia and New Zealand exclusively for Sport24.