PERTH, Australia – Former Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen has dismissed suggestions that Sunday’s Test against Australia will be an easy outing for the world champions.
The double Rugby World Cup winner said the Wallabies had been handed a significant advantage by watching both South Africa and New Zealand during the Greatest Rivalry Series, giving them valuable insights ahead of the Perth clash.
Vermeulen also shot down critics who claim that coach Rassie Erasmus’s 13 changes to the starting team show disrespect to the hosts.
“No one plays this game to lose, so anyone who talks about losing is making a strange statement,” said Vermeulen.
“The big thing is that Australia had a good opportunity with RGR to prepare for the Boks, and after this match, they play the Bledisloe Cup against New Zealand, so they’ve had a nice chance to take a good look at both teams and work out how they want to play against us, and also the Kiwis.
“They’ll definitely go into this game with a proper plan. From our side, we’ve just come off the Greatest Rivalry series and yes, we are making a few changes, but the guys understand their roles, so everyone knows exactly what to do and when.
“At the beginning of the year Rassie said everyone would get an opportunity to play, and this is a testament to him staying true to his word, so hopefully the guys take the opportunity and show us what they’ve got.”
Vermeulen shot down suggestions that the Springboks will “fall flat” after facing the All Blacks before taking on the Wallabies: “That may be your perspective, but it’s not as if we go into a Wallabies Test and say, ‘let’s just throw the ball around and have fun because it’s not the All Blacks’.
“They are a tier one nation, a team on the rise, and they are playing really well, so we’ve been preparing hard. The time since the Baltimore Test was not a break. It was a case of giving the guys time to run through their plays and understand their roles. They will be up for it, and we are looking forward to it as well.”
The double Rugby World Cup winner echoed sentiments that the Australian forward pack is a big weapon for their team, and he expected a massive battle on Sunday.
“The big thing about the Australian side is that they are really quick at the breakdown,” said Vermeulen.
“They have some good poachers in their squad, and their scrum poses a different threat to that of New Zealand. We haven’t faced their lineout and maul this year, and they have been doing really well.
“It’s a different set-up under Les Kiss (new Wallabies head coach), and we’ll have a game on our hands come Sunday. They will be well prepared, and we will not underestimate them.”
Sunday’s Test kicks off at 11:45.
