The Springboks have earned the right to be favourites against Australia at Ellis Park, and must embrace that expectation, writes MARK KEOHANE.
Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane questions the anxiety among some South Africans after the Wallabies’ dead-rubber win over the British & Irish Lions, reminding readers that the third and final Test in won series rarely carry the same intensity. He notes that Australia have never won at Ellis Park in the professional era, and urges supporters to match their expectations with the Boks’ back-to-back World Cup-winning status.
“There is such confidence within the South African rugby community that the Springboks can win at Eden Park in Auckland for the first time since 1937… then there must be a similar confidence that these world champion Boks beat the Wallabies in South Africa,” says Keohane.
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He highlights Rassie Erasmus’s record of four straight wins over Australia, three of them away from home, using vastly different starting XVs each time. Less than a third of the starters and less than half of the matchday 23 have been the same across those Tests, reflecting depth and trust in the squad.
Keohane believes the Boks’ set piece, pack power, dynamic halfbacks and the influence of Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit will ensure they maintain their dominance: “These Boks have earned the right to be favourites and they revel in finding a way to deliver as favourites.”
Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
