Weight of history on Australia
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:10
Highveld hoodoo: Wallaby wing Drew Mitchell. (c) Gallo
Australia will again struggle with the weight of history, and the effects of altitude, in the Tri-Nations Test against South Africa in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The Wallabies will seal second place in the Tri-Nations and claim back the Nelson Mandela Plate from South Africa with a win in the penultimate fixture of this year's competition.
But those honours will be less significant than a first success over the Springboks on the Highveld since 1963.
Australia have won just twice at altitude in South Africa, and both victories are distant memories: a 15-4 win in Bloemfontein in 1933 and the 11-9 triumph at Ellis Park in Johannesburg 30 years later.
It's become a 'Highveld hoodoo' and was reinforced last weekend when the Wallabies wasted a 14-0 and 21-7 lead to go down 44-31 to a desperate South Africa in Pretoria.
"The Highveld bogey is something we have talked about a lot," wing Drew Mitchell said at the Australian training camp in Durban this week.
"We know it has been a long time since an Australian team has won there, and we know it is a losing sequence we must break.
"We feel we are very close now to breaking through the barrier and creating a bit of history."
Mitchell and recalled hooker Stephen Moore will win their 50th caps for Australia in Bloemfontein.
Like South African lock Victor Matfield's 100th Test at Loftus Versfeld last weekend, which ended a four-game losing streak for the Boks, the result overrides personal milestones for the Wallabies.
"This match is hugely important for the team as we want to achieve something that we have been talking about and looking for quite a few years now," Mitchell said.
Robbie Deans's team had the Springboks on the ropes in Pretoria, but appeared to fade with the affects of the altitude in the second half and the Boks fought back to level the Nelson Mandela Plate series at 1-1.
Australia outplayed South Africa 30-13 in Brisbane earlier in the tournament, but has a lopsided record of 30 losses in 38 Tests in South Africa.
Deans's response was to recall experienced forwards Moore and lock Mark Chisholm, who have 100 Tests between them, for the Bloemfontein match-up. Western Force utility forward Ben McCalman has also been handed his first Test start.
All three changes are in the pack, where Australia know they have to compete with South Africa's physical forwards in order to end this jinx.
Deans said the three changes would add "energy" to his team, but the coach hopes the experience of Moore and Chisholm and McCalman's lineout ability gives Australia an edge up front.
"Both Stephen [Moore] and Mark [Chisholm] have experience playing in games where the circumstances were not too dissimilar to what we will encounter on Saturday night," Deans said. "They know what to expect and... what is required to be successful."
South Africa have returned to winning ways following a dismal defence of its Tri-Nations title, but coach Peter de Villiers and his world champions are also under pressure to win in Bloemfontein - and take something from a poor tournament.
"There is still the Mandela Cup to play for and whilst we do not play only to win trophies we do see them as just reward for hard work. Hopefully our hard work will pay off and we can celebrate a win at the weekend," De Villiers said.
South Africa's only change to its starting 15 also came up front, with powerful second row forward Danie Rossouw recalled in place of the young Flip van der Merwe.
"We feel that Danie will be better suited to the type of game we would like to play," De Villiers said, suggesting an onslaught from the Springbok forwards.
Starting prop Jannie du Plessis and Van der Merwe, who moves to the bench, have both been passed fit for South Africa after scans at the start of the week.
Lock Nathan Sharpe and centre Matt Giteau will run on for Australia after shaking off ankle sprains.
Ahead of another Highveld Test for the Wallabies, Mitchell said: "It is not as if we don't believe we can beat these guys.
"It's just a case of us needing to be more consistent through 80 minutes."
SAPA-AP
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