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Go gettum Sharpey!!!
Wallabies keen to get at cocky Boks
By Adrian Warren
June 19, 2007
AUSTRALIAN Secondrower Nathan Sharpe says the Wallabies are relishing another crack at South Africa and believes the Springboks aren't as good as they make themselves out to be.
Sharpe and Dan Vickerman proved extremely competitive against the formidable Springbok pairing of Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha in the lineouts during Saturday's 22-19 loss in the Tri-Nations series opener in Cape Town.
While the result continued Australia's miserable recent run in South Africa, Sharpe felt the Wallabies showed they were on the right track less than three months out from the World Cup.
"You don't want to peak too early in a year like this and there's a lot of guys in this coaching environment and structure that are still learning from the coaches we've got," Sharpe said.
"It's an important stepping stone for us to go through matches like that. Certainly you want to perform well in the big games and that was a big game. Next time we are going to be a lot better for that performance."
Sharpe said the pre-match talk offered by some Springboks only served to motivate the Wallabies more.
"They like to talk themselves up a little bit and that is always a good incentive for us to play well and that certainly helped us," Sharpe said.
Asked if the Springboks were as good as they suggested, Sharpe said "No, I don't think so."
"They are always a different team to play at home and we are very much looking forward to meeting them back in Sydney in a couple of weeks time."
Before the teams meet again at Sydney's Telstra Stadium on July 7, the Springboks will face New Zealand in Durban this Saturday and the Wallabies meet the All Blacks in Melbourne on Saturday week.
"It's always a step up when you play the All Blacks, they are certainly the number one side in the world at the moment," Sharpe said.
"They've got a game this weekend against South Africa and then they fly back here and play us in Melbourne, so we will catch them on the end of a long journey."
However, Vickerman doubted whether the travel factor would greatly trouble the All Blacks in their clash with Australia.
"They are a pretty competitive side and they normally travel pretty well and do quite well against the Springboks," Vickerman said.
"They will go over there with confidence, they've had a few good wins over the French and Canada, so I don't really think the travel effects them too much, they seem to go well over there."
History backs Vickerman's argument. The All Blacks have beaten the Wallabies in Australia on all three occasions after backing-up from a Test against the Springboks in South Africa the previous week.
Both Sharpe and Vickerman felt the Australian lineouts still needed some tinkering before the tussle with the All Blacks.
"Our defensive lineouts worked very well (against South Africa), exactly the way we wanted it to, but probably our attacking lineouts let us down a little bit, so that's an area we need to pick up," Sharpe said.
While some pundits believe injuries to topliners Ali Williams and Keith Robinson may have made New Zealand's lineout and second row stocks temporarily vulnerable, Vickerman doubted that was the case.
"They have got such good depth in their rugby," Vickerman said.
AAP
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Originally Posted by burgs
