We won't back off says new Wallabies coach

PERTH - Wallabies coach Eddie Jones is expecting South Africa to adopt a conservative and physical approach to Sunday morning's Tri-Nations test in Pretoria.

But he warned before flying out with his team last night that the Wallabies would not be intimidated.

Jones makes his debut as national coach at the scene of one of Australia's worst defeats - the 22-61 Tri-Nations towelling by the Springboks in 1997.

That game effectively ended Greg Smith's tenure and opened the way for Rod Macqueen's great era.

The Springboks, under their new coach Harry Viljoen, attempted to run the ball but showed little aptitude for it in their 3-12 loss to the All Blacks in the series opener in Cape Town last weekend.

Jones believed the Springboks would revert to their traditional strengths of tight play close to the forwards, although he noted it had been difficult to predict what they would do this season.

"They've actually been consistent in their inconsistency," he said.

"Certainly against France they played the first test with a great deal of fluency and the second test they went back to a very conservative game.

"Against the All Blacks they tried to use the ball a bit but I wouldn't be surprised if against us they reverted back to a more conservative style."

Jones said the Wallabies were prepared for the Springboks to attempt to turn the game into a brutal physical contest.

"What the Wallabies have shown, particularly in the Lions series, is that we're capable of mixing that stuff.

"The game at the moment is definitely getting more physical and before you're able to use your skill and creativity you have got to be able to do the physical stuff up front.

"That's our aim, we need to be physical so we can use our skill."

Jones was not surprised Viljoen has indicated he will recall utility back Braam van Straaten, either at first or second five-eighth, to cure South Africa's goalkicking ills. Fullback Percy Montgomery failed miserably in that department against the All Blacks.

Jones believes South Africa's inconsistency stems from a bumpy transition to Viljoen from former coach Nick Mallett, but he does not expect the Wallabies will suffer the same problems because of their professionalism and commitment to preparation.

"It's been what I expected.

"We've got a very professional group of players," he said.

"Certainly the structure of the team hasn't changed. All we're trying to do is improve on that structure.

"I think whenever you get a new person in an organisation there's always a period of settling in.

"What we have tried to do over this week is try to minimise that disruption to the team."

Viljoen has confirmed that van Straaten, who has scored 158 points in 15 tests, would be back in Pretoria.

"We obviously believe that [first five-eighth] Butch [James] has potential, and we still want to work with him."

Debutant centre Marius Joubert was injured against the All Blacks - where they missed 12 possible points from kicks - creating a place for van Straaten.

"The kicking is a nightmare to me," Viljoen said.

"Defensive lines are getting more and more organised, and we haven't found the solution yet.

"If I think of where we want to go compared to where we are, it's still a problem.

"Our tactical kicking was also very disappointing against New Zealand."

South Africa's forwards put in an improved performance against the All Blacks, but the backs were ineffective.

"We're working on more options from phase play, because we ran out of options as soon as we went through more phases," Viljoen said.

"We're working on the patience of the players taking the ball up.

"We were close to breaking their defence quite a few times, we're just not there yet."

Corne Krige's recovery from a bruised thigh could bring about a change at flanker.

Lock Victor Matfield, who had an eye gouged accidentally by All Black captain Anton Oliver, is in doubt for the match.

- gencies