SA Rugby magazine – Latest South African rugby news
Powerhouse prop Taniela Tupou returns from injury and Jordan Petaia will start at fullback for Australia for the first time as coach Dave Rennie made five changes on Thursday to his starting lineup for the second Test against England.
Australia’s hopes of building on last week’s victory against England when the teams meet in Brisbane on Saturday were put in check by news that two key players have been ruled out for the remainder of the series.
Coach Dave Rennie believes his gutsy Australia side can use their stirring first Test victory over England on Saturday as a springboard to a new era of success for the Wallabies.
The Springboks, All Blacks, Wallabies and Los Pumas all began the Test season with victories over northern hemisphere opponents on Saturday.
Follow the action as Australia face England at Optus Stadium in Perth in the first match of their three-Test series.
On the first weekend of big Test match action, the Springboks are favourites when they take on Wales at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.
Mark Keohane expects the Springboks to revel in the atmosphere of playing in front of a packed house for the first time since the 2019 Rugby World Cup when the world champions take on Wales at Loftus on Saturday.
England coach Eddie Jones has admitted Owen Farrell “wasn’t very happy” after Courtney Lawes was named captain on Thursday for the opening Test against Australia, as veteran scrumhalf Danny Care was handed a first start since 2018.
Courtney Lawes will captain a strong England lineup featuring the return of an experienced No 8 and scrumhalf for the first of three Tests against the Wallabies in Perth on Saturday.
Veteran lock Cadeyrn Neville and hooker David Porecki were handed Australia debuts on Thursday in a powerful pack to face England in the first Test, while playmaker Quade Cooper got the nod over James O’Connor.
