Boks must break almost decade-long drought
SPOTLIGHT: South Africa will have to end a nearly decade-long drought if they are to keep their Rugby Championship dream alive.
Following the spectacular capitulation against New Zealand this past weekend, the Springboks must win on Australian soil – where they have not tasted success since 2013.
With back-to-back games against the Wallabies in Adelaide (August 27) and Sydney a week later, the Boks face a hellacious challenge in rounds three and four of the SANZAAR championship.
Having squandered a home game, they now have to travel the more than 10,000 kilometres across the Indian Ocean to the Land Down Under.
The two countries have met 41 times on Australian soil, with the Wallabies winning 27 of those.
The Boks have recorded just one win Down Under in the last decade, a 38-12 rout in Brisbane in 2013.
There was also a 23-all draw in Perth in 2017.
In the last 20 years, South Africa managed just three wins in Australia – the 2013 win, 32-25 in Perth in 2009 and 22-19 in Perth in 2005.
The Wallabies and Springboks have never played in Adelaide before, but there have been 14 Tests in Sydney between the two countries.
Australia won eight of those and South Africa’s last win in this city dates back almost three decades – a 19-12 triumph in 1993 at the same Sydney Football Stadium they will play in next month.
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