Erasmus, Kolisi warn of different challenge as Boks turn to Wallabies Test

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus and captain Siya Kolisi say the team is bracing for a completely different challenge against the Wallabies in Perth next Sunday than the one it faced against the All Blacks in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry (RGR) series, with the match expected to test the Boks in new ways.

Erasmus also confirmed that utility forward Pieter-Steph du Toit and centre Damian de Allende have been released from camp to spend time with their families after a demanding RGR schedule, with sufficient cover available in the travelling squad.

The sides meet for the first time this year in a one-off Test at Optus Stadium on Sunday, 27 September – a fixture with added significance given that Australia hosts the 2027 Rugby World Cup, where the Boks open their campaign against Italy in Adelaide on 3 October.

With most attention still on South Africa's 3-1 RGR series win over New Zealand, Erasmus said that contest was now behind the team, SA Rugby reports.

andstressed the importance of the Wallabies match before the Boks move into the second leg of the Nations Championship in November against Italy, France and Ireland, ahead of the Finals Weekend.

Erasmus described it as a Test against a country South Africa has rivalled for as long as he can remember, citing David Campese's famous try, Pieter Hendriks' opening try against Australia at the 1995 World Cup in Cape Town, and his own playing days against a strong Brumbies side built around George Gregan and Stephen Larkham.

He said the Boks did not want to finish their tour casually, calling it a major occasion to face the World Cup hosts in Australia itself. He added that the Wallabies would be fresh, having won four of their last five matches, while the Boks arrived off the back of a tough series against New Zealand – but said the RGR series had no bearing on this “completely different challenge”.

Kolisi agreed, saying the Boks adjust their approach for every opponent while keeping their core values constant, and that Australia's different style to New Zealand's would require some readjustment. On the squad's mood after the long trip from the United States to Australia, where the team is based in Terrigal, north of Sydney, ahead of travelling to Perth on Thursday, Kolisi said the US leg had been a great success.

He said training in Terrigal had gone well, and the squad had been encouraged by the number of South African supporters travelling out to watch them.

Kick-off is at 11:45 (SA time) on Sunday, with the match broadcast live on SuperSport.