Historic ambition adds colour in southern giants’ early collision

A SINGLE upset in pool play has pitted Australia against South Africa in the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup, leaving both teams to contend with both the familiar and the unforeseeable.

They are regular rivals in Tri-Nations matches, of which Australia has won two this season and four out of five in the past two years. But neither team expected to face each other this early in the World Cup knockout rounds and that eventuality has heightened tension in both camps ahead of tomorrow’s match at Wellington Regional Stadium.

Australia’s loss to Ireland on 17 September has forced world rugby’s second and third-ranked nations into sudden-death conflict much sooner than expected. Both Australia and South Africa are attempting to become the first to win the World Cup three times. And South Africa are also bidding to become the first to win successive titles.

Adding to the swirl of historic ambition, and the likelihood that the winner will face New Zealand in the semi-finals, is that the teams differ so greatly in experience and style.

The Springboks have selected the most experienced line-up in their history, with the players totalling 837 Test caps. They will be led by 2007 Cup-winning captain John Smit, who will play his 17th World Cup match tomorrow, more than any other South African.

Australia are a much younger side, though far from raw, and enter the match as Tri-Nation champions. They also include a number of the players – Quade Cooper, Will Genia and Digby Ioane among them – who won the Super 15 title with the Queensland Reds.

Even the uncontrollable issue of the weather will impact on the match, largely because of the divergence in the teams’ styles. If it is wet, as it has been in Wellington all week, it may suit the Springboks forwards; if dry, it might favour the Wallabies backs.

“If it’s wet and raining and windy in the stadium, it will possibly play into our hands because it might nullify their quick, nippy backs,” Springboks forwards coach Gary Gold said. “But there are aspects of that that may not work for us, for example kicks at [goal]. I think it’s going to be a very tight game.”

Until recently, the Springboks might have been expected to dominate the Wallabies forwards, but that wasn’t so in Tri-Nations games this season, although South Africa fielded weakened teams. Still, Australia have improved in the setpiece, particularly scrums, their bugbear.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has been able to select a full-strength team after contending with injuries throughout pool play. The return of winger Ioane is significant, as the Wallabies attack hinges to some extent on his presence and he stiffens their defence.