Wallabies want a 'grub' to get under Boks' skin
SPOTLIGHT: The Wallabies will be underdogs when they face the Boks at Ellis Park on Saturday, but they do have players who can make life a bit difficult for the world champions.
The visitors are bracing themselves for a huge physical onslaught in their Rugby Championship opener, but they do have an “enforcer” that can help them in that regard.
It will come in the form of Will Skelton, who showed how he can rattle opponents with his big frame and some niggle in the recent series against the British and Irish Lions.
Wallaby loose forward Tom Hooper is confident that Skelton can produce the goods again when they come up against the Boks in Johannesburg.
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“He [Skelton] will definitely be up for that challenge, and anyone who is picked in the jersey alongside him will follow him into battle, that’s for sure,” Hooper told reporters on Tuesday.
“He is an enforcer, and that is what he has been doing for a long time in the beautiful sport of rugby.
“For lack of a better word, he loves being that grub; he loves taking it to teams physically and making the gentleman’s game a little more exciting.
“We love playing with him. He is just a physical presence.
“I’ve never felt so small. At the end of the game, I give him a big hug. I feel like a little kid again, so it’s always good.”
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Another player who could be a bit annoying for the Boks is scrumhalf Nic White.
He was one of the stars in the Wallabies’ 22-12 win over the B&I Lions in that third Test, and he has put his retirement on hold after an injury ruled Jake Gordon out of the SA tour.
“You’ve got the Great Dane, Will Skelton, and then you’ve got the little Jack Russell (White). The Jack Russell is sometimes a little more fiery, and he is nipping at the heels of those boys,” said Hooper.
“He [White] loves not taking a backwards step, and whoever is picked in that gold jersey, that’s the kind of spirit we want to play with going forward.
“You can see he kind of inspires the 23 on the field.
“We can’t take a step backwards, because we can’t afford to.”
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