Tri-Nations
Smit: RWC different ball game
2011-08-12 14:51
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Durban - South Africa will go into Saturday's Tri-Nations encounter against Australia in Durban knowing that time is fast running out as they bid to get their Rugby World Cup preparations back on track.
Click to BUY the Rugby World Cup Final 1995 DVDThe tournament in New Zealand is just under a month away, but the Springboks have yet to show the potential they did two years ago and the pressure is quickly growing on Peter de Villiers' side.
Captain John Smit, however, has called for calm saying the clash at Kings Park should not be used as a benchmark as to how they will perform at the global spectacle.
Smit, who will run out for the last time in the green and gold at his home ground said it was important to isolate this weekend's result.
"We certainly want to win playing at home in our back garden with a strong team against Australia who are ranked higher than us in world rugby," said Smit.
"It's an important day for us."
The two countries are meeting for the 73rd time in Test rugby and although the world champions have a 41-30 win-loss ratio, they have beaten the Wallabies just once in their last five meetings.
The Wallabies convincingly beat an understrength Boks team 39-20 in the opening match of the Tri-Nations in Sydney three weeks ago.
The 33-year-old Smit, due to win his 105th cap, said it was important that the group who hasn't been together for a while and hasn't played rugby for some time gelled quickly.
"We haven't had too much time, just a week together, and we got a big Test match on Saturday," he said.
"It's one of two games before we get into a World Cup. So this is just part of the preparation, but it's an important Test match to win."
De Villiers has made a string of changes to his line-up, 13 in total from their last Tri-Nations match which ended in a 40-7 loss against the All Blacks in Wellington two weeks ago.
Only hooker Smit and loose forward Danie Rossouw survived, with scrumhalf Fourie du Preez and flank Heinrich Brussow returning for the first time in almost two years after being sidelined with shoulder and knee injuries respectively.
Butch James was named at flyhalf with Frans Steyn selected at fullback in what is the most capped starting XV in Springbok history with a total of 810 caps.
De Villiers, who rested around 20 of his senior players during the trip to Australasia, would also have been relieved that Rossouw (illness) and fellow number eight Pierre Spies (groin) both came through fitness tests after missing training earlier in the week.
"It is a strong team and probably one of the best we've been able to pick, yet there's still a few guys that weren't available through injury," said Smit.
"It really has been fantastic [to have all the senior players] - being able to sort of delegate the duties.
"We've created an amazing understanding between five or six of the guys in terms of what their responsibilities are on the field and who covers what area.
"Hopefully it's going to slot back to how it's been for the last five or six years."
The Australians on the other hand have their own problems with their biggest issue being the form of their captain, Rocky Elsom, who is returning from a spate of injuries.
Their coach Robbie Deans has nonetheless defended Elsom, saying he expected him to continue improving.
Scott Higginbotham and Nathan Sharpe have also been given a chance to stake their place for World Cup selection.
"The Springbok side is one that has a lot of history, they understand the meaning of it, they understand the importance of it and this is their first outing with a very short stretch before the World Cup," said Deans.
"They'll want to start well, they'll want to make a statement, they've got a lot of experience, so they know what's required and they know how to go about that.
"So if we're in any way underdone in terms of expectation, we'll get spanked, it's that simple."