Meads throws weight behind struggling Wallabies pack

Colin Meads

Colin Meads is convinced the embattled Wallabies forward pack can become an international force and is tipping a hometown win in tonight's test.

The former All Black said critics were being too harsh on the young Wallabies front row and tipped them to be firing in time for next year's World Cup.

"Hell yeah. Your [Australia's] selectors have just got to decide who they think are the best and then persist with them," he told Sydney's Daily Telegraph.

"Play them together more, get them experience and they'll come through.

"They're every bit as big as us [All Blacks] in the front row.

"Besides, I'm picking Aussie to beat South Africa this weekend. They'll be at home and they'll have licked their wounds."

Props Greg Holmes and Guy Shepherdson have been retained despite their scrum mauling from the All Blacks a week ago in Christchurch.

"I thought for 20 minutes they scrummed very well," said Meads of the Tri-Nations opener last week. "The first scrum they were rock solid. Up in the stands we were thinking, 'This isn't what we expected'. When we got on top we demolished them. They went to pieces.

"But it's a confidence thing. Once they got done in two scrums they were always pushing uphill, especially when they lost a player [Rocky Elsom] to the sin bin."

- NZPA