Springboks bring bench depth to Perth test against Wallabies
South Africa's substitutes, who helped beat New Zealand 3-1, will challenge the Wallabies in Sunday's Perth test.
The Springboks' bench players are among the world's strongest, though not in the traditional "bomb squad" form of years past. Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche, Wilco Louw, Lood de Jager, Jasper Wiese, Morne van den Berg, and others played major roles in South Africa's 3-1 series win against the All Blacks.
Halfback van den Berg has emerged as a strong No.9 who will enter about 10 minutes into the second half. Wiese, playing his 50th test, proved himself the world's best No.8 during the All Blacks series with his relentless ball-carrying.
The Wallabies, under coach Les Kiss, have shown improvements but will face a different test against South Africa's intensity and defensive line control.
- Springboks won 3-1
- All Blacks series result
- 50th
- Wiese test appearance
- Perth
- Test location
Why it mattersThe Wallabies must handle South Africa's substitutes and defensive pressure to win in Perth; losing could signal they are not yet ready to beat top teams.
AustraliaAustralia's rugby reputation rests on the Wallabies' ability to compete against the Springboks, a test of whether Les Kiss's coaching changes are working.
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