Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt is relishing the challenge of facing world champions the Springboks in the Rugby Championship later this year.
Schmidt was part of the All Blacks coaching team that lost to the Springboks in the final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup and is aware of the threat they pose.
The two teams will clash in the opening two rounds of the Rugby Championship, with back-to-back tests in Brisbane and Perth later this year.
Springbok strengths
Schmidt, who replaced Eddie Jones as head coach of the Wallabies ahead of the 2024 international season, said the All Blacks were not only disappointed with the result in the final, but also expressed how difficult the Springboks are to beat. He said it highlighted something.
“It’s a challenge. [facing the Springboks]”The last game they played I was in the opposition coaching box and I was pretty disappointed at the end, not only with the result but also with some of the things that happened during the game,” he told reporters in Perth. He told the group.
“They are very difficult to beat. They can get into the game really well and are unbelievably physical. They are going to suffocate you and have very strong set pieces. We have some very big players.”
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While the Springboks are known for their traditional strengths of physicality and set pieces, Schmidt added that they are not as one-dimensional as many believe.
“Stand next to Whitey.” [Nic White] Today, it's not the same size, it's much bigger, but they have real talented players.
Well,” added the former Ireland national team coach.
“People think of South Africa as a big team on the road to winning, but with players like Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt Lee Arendse, they have real whippets.
“Even Damian de Allende has real talent when it comes to kicking and passing, but he's also pretty good going forward.”
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battle of perth
The second Test match between the Wallabies and the Springboks in 2024 will be held in Perth, where many South African expatriates live.
The Boks are sure to have plenty of support in Perth, but Schmidt hopes Wallabies fans will drown them out.
“There's a big South African influence here in Perth so there's definitely some support, but I think the green losing to the gold will drown that out a little bit. “Hopefully people will wear the gold jersey. “We get along by wearing them and raising our voices,” he said.
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