The Wallabies are going to Loftus Versfeld on Saturday to fight fire with fire against the Springboks in their Rugby Championship opener at 5.05pm.
That’s the warning from Australia coach Eddie Jones as he takes charge for the first time since taking over from Dave Rennie earlier this year.
Chasing history by becoming the first Australian side to beat South Africa at Loftus after seven previous defeats, Jones has named four uncapped players in his match 23.
Only one of them, flank Tom Hooper, is in the starting XV, while fellow debutants prop Zane Nonggorr, lock Richie Arnold and flyhalf Carter Gordon are all on the bench.
Expecting a hostile crowd in Pretoria, coupled with a traditional Springbok kicking game, Jones says they’ll staan their man against coach Jacques Nienaber’s charges.
Jones explains: “That’s how we’re going to play on Saturday. We’re going to meet fire with fire and when we get the opportunity to play quicker, we’ll play quicker.”
With the Boks sending a vrag stars to New Zealand ahead of next week’s Test, Jones says he’s not worried about what span he is facing.
He says: “We’re only worried about ourselves. We’re a new team and we wanna play our style. Whatever team runs out in Pretoria is going to run out with pride and SA behind them.”
Centre Reece Hodge knows what it means to have Loftus behind the hosts, having played in the 18-10 defeat in 2016.
He says: “It’s very loud, they are very parochial. [But] it’s exciting to have a chance to go to Pretoria and hopefully get a win.”
Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Suliasi Vunivalu, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Nic White, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Michael Hooper (co-captain), 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 David Porecki, 1 James Slipper (co-captain).
Replacements: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Matt Gibbon, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Richie Arnold, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Samu Kerevi, 23 Carter Gordon.
dudley.carstens@inl.co.za