Rugby: As good as it gets, says Deans as Test looms

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans. Photo / Getty Images

CAPE TOWN - Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says his players dream of the kind of rugby experience they will savour when they take on the world champion Springboks in Cape Town on Sunday morning (NZ time).

"It just doesn't get any better," Deans said after announcing an unchanged starting line for the bumper Tri Nations clash.

"It's fantastic. They're the top side in the world and these blokes love to play in those occasions, played at Newlands - one of the best venues in the world.

"These blokes are just really excited about the opportunity that they have, and it is an opportunity for us.

"The reality is they are the best side in the world. They warrant their ranking.

"They went into a World Cup hangover, if you like, for a while there last year but showed with a couple of performances through the year why they were world champions.

"And they've gone on this year. Obviously they selected a combination for the third Lions Test (last month) which possibly let the Lions in.

"Outside of that, they've dealt with every challenge that's been put in front of them.

"But we intend to challenge them. We're not coming here just to make up the numbers. We're coming here to get involved in the game and to enjoy it.

"And you don't enjoy it if you don't enter it."

Deans admits the Wallabies will to need to produce a vastly superior performance than they which they delivered in last month's 22-16 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland.

"We were probably not close to where we need to be. There's a number of elements that we took out of that game where didn't help ourselves," he said.

"But it is continuity so I guess we get the opportunity to address those shortcomings - and they'll have to be addressed or we won't even be as close as we were, and that's the reality."

But the coach - who only arrived in South Africa mid-week after attending his father Tony's funeral in New Zealand, senses his charges are ready to rise to the occasion.

"The boys are in a good frame of mind. They obviously travelled well and they're just counting down now," he said.

"There's good clarity around what we're doing and there's a good level of enthusiasm and everyone has been chipping in, so it's good. Everyone's in good heart.

"It's just a matter now of ensuring that we present ourselves in the best way possible and that's pretty much mental, as opposed to physical now.

"There's not a lot of physical output that's going to happen between now and Saturday."

The Wallabies haven't won at Newlands since 1992, but broke an eight-year losing run in the Republic last season with a 27-15 victory in Durban.

"That's the past. It has no relevance," Deans said.

Nor, presumably, does Deans believe the Wallabies' 53-8 loss to the Boks in Johannesburg the following week matters either.

For the Boks, fit-again Ruan Pienaar replaces Wynand Olivier, while Peter Hynes comes in for veteran loose forward Phil Waugh on the Wallaby side.

A win for the Boks on Saturday would set them up for the away leg of the competition, and a possible third Tri-Nations title to go with the ones captured in 1998 and 2004.

Springboks coach Peter de Villiers, however, was reluctant to look too far ahead this week.

"We've got four matches to go, three of those away from home so it's not going to be easy," said De Villiers.

"A lot can still happen and on Saturday we face an Australia team who play with a lot of structure and who like holding onto the ball for long periods.

"They like putting phases together and will certainly ask a lot of questions in the lineouts."

De Villiers added: "On top of that they have a genius in Matt Giteau, so we're in for a tough Test."

The Wallabies will, indeed, look to fly-half Giteau to dictate matters, but it is up front where Deans' men will have to find a solution to thwarting the Boks pack.

De Villiers' forwards, led superbly by captain John Smit, with Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Bismarck du Plessis and Pierre Spies not far behind, must now rank as the best assembled pack in world rugby following their dominant display against the All Blacks.

And in flanker Heinrich Brussow, the Boks have unearthed a player who got the better of All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw.

He will again be key on Saturday as he comes up against George Smith, widely regarded the best openside alongside McCaw.

Their individual battle for possession on the ground will go a long way in determining who comes out on top.

The Test kicks off at 5pm local time.

TEAMS

AUSTRALIA

Adam Ashley-Cooper, Lachie Turner, Stirling Mortlock (captain), Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess, Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Richard Brown, Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill, Al Baxter, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson.

Reserves:

Tatafu Polota-Nau, Ben Alexander, Dean Mumm, David Pocock, Will Genia, Peter Hynes, James O'Connor.

SOUTH AFRICA:

Francois Steyn, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Heinrich Brussow, Victor Matfield, Bakkie Botha, John Smit, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira.

Reserves:

Chiliboy Ralapelle, Jannie du Plessis, Andries Bekker, Danie Rossouw, Enrico Januarie, Ruan Pienaar, Adrian Jacobs.

- AAP, additional reporting by AFP