Springboks vs Wallabies - Prediction

I do not think this is going to be a tight game at all. I reckon the Springboks have to much fire power up front with Eben Etzebeth returning for Flip van der Merwe and partnering the very skillful Andries Bekker. Johann Goosen makes his run on debut and should get the skillful backline players on his outside going like a V8 engine. I expect an open running game filled with excitement.

The Aussies have opted to play Curtley Beale at ten to give them some attacking prowess and Berrick Barnes finds himself at fullback. I wonder if the Quade Cooper rant during the week will have an effect on the team as they look pretty thin without the services of robust loose forward, Scott Higginbotham with the latter picking up an injury on Thursday and looks unlikely to feature on the bench. A replacement hasn't been named.

Prediction: Springboks by atleast 20.

The teams:

Springboks: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.

Super subs: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Marcell Coetzee, 20 Elton Jantjies, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Pat Lambie.

Wallabies: 15 Berrick Barnes, 14 Dominic Shipperley, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Radike Samo, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Nathan Sharpe
(captain), 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.

Super subs: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 James
Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Scott Higginbotham, 20 Liam Gill, 21 Brett Sheehan, 22 Anthony Fainga'a.

Date: Saturday, September 29
Kick-off: 17.00 SA Time
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Expected weather: Clear with a high of
21°C, dropping to 10°C  and no rain - a
beautiful spring day on the Highveld, great
for rugby.
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France),
Greg Garner (England)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)