The 'intricacies' Wallabies don't want to talk about after humbling Boks
Despite being ranked higher than Australia on the World Rugby standings (third versus sixth) and being the current World Cup holders, South Africa has not been able to beat them Down Under for nearly a decade.
The Springboks last won in Australia in 2013 and have managed just 12 wins in 42 encounters Down Under.
It gets worse in Sydney, the venue for this week’s Rugby Championship showdown – where the Boks last tasted victory three decades ago, 1993.
Last week’s 25-17 win in Adelaide was the Wallabies’ third successive win over the Springboks.
However, Wallaby assistant coach Scott Wisemantel played down this ‘superiority’ and suggested it was simply a matter of “desperation” by the Aussies – after having suffered some “bad losses” before meeting the Boks.
“That’s it,” was Wisemantel’s curt reply.
Pressed for an explanation, the wily Wallaby attack coach pointed out that last year in Perth they had their “pants pulled down” by New Zealand – a 38-21 win by the All Blacks.
The Aussies rallied to record back-to-back wins over the Springboks – 28-26 and 30-17.
In July this year, they lost in the second and third Tests against England, only to beat Argentina (41-26) in the opening round of the Rugby Championship.
The inconsistency continued, with Los Pumas bouncing back with a 48-17 humbling of the Wallabies in Round Two.
Again Australia rebounded, recording a win over South Africa in Adelaide last week that was far more convincing than the 25-17 scoreline suggests.
(WATCH as Wallaby assistant coach Scott Wisemantel unpacks Australia’s winning streak over South Africa …)
“The timing, if you are a Bok supporter, isn’t great,” Wisemantel said.
“I don’t think it is any reflection on the Boks at all.”
Asked if there are any specific ‘tactics’ that the Wallabies employ to upstage the Boks, the assistant coach was a lot less forthcoming.
“There are intricacies, but I am not about to talk about those,” Wisemantel said, adding: “You guys [the media] are the experts.
“You go and work it out.”
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