Australia get a second bite at the cherry in ending their Highveld hoodoo when they tackle South Africa in Bloemfontein on Saturday, with the tournament wooden spoon still very much on the line.The visitors currently sit last on the Tri-Nations table but have a game in hand over the second-placed Springboks, who ran them down to win 44-31 last weekend at Loftus Versfeld. In a match in which tackles were missed rather than made, the embattled Springboks ground their noses over the finish line ahead of a Wallaby team short of finesse. The result also kept Australia's abysmal record at altitude (they have not won in 47 years) intact.
They could and should have won their last outing and now face South Africa for the second time in a week at altitude, however last week's Loftus experience will hold Australia in good stead for Saturday.
2010: Australia won 30-13 in Brisbane
2009: Australia won 21-6 in Brisbane
2009: South Africa won 32-25 in Perth
2009: South Africa won 29-17 in Cape Town
2008: South Africa won 53-8 in Johannesburg
2008: Australia won 27-15 in Durban
2008: Australia won 16-9 in Perth
2007: Australia won 25-17 in Sydney
2007: South Africa won 22-19 in Cape Town
2006: South Africa won 24-16 in Johannesburg
2006: Australia won 20-18 in Sydney
Prediction: Having come so close last week, the Wallabies will be itching for another crack at South Africa and we believe the holy grail of a win at altitude is achievable in Bloemfontein this weekend. Australia to win by three!
The teams:
South Africa: 15 Francois Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (c), 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Ryan Kankowski, 20 Ricky Januarie , 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Gio Aplon.
Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom (c), 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Mark Chisholm, 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 James Slipper, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 Richard Brown, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Anthony Fainga'a.
Date: Saturday, September 4
Venue: Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 17:00 (15:00 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)
