The Springboks are expected to dominate Australia when the teams meet in Joburg, not out of arrogance, but because of superior professional quality and depth, writes MARK KEOHANE.

Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane backs the world champions to overwhelm Australia in the Rugby Championship opener on 16 August in Johannesburg, highlighting South Africa’s settled squad and the Wallabies’ poor record at altitude.

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Australia have not beaten the Springboks at Ellis Park since rugby turned professional, and have won just 10 of 48 Tests in South Africa. It is, Keohane notes, “their lowest win rate in any nation they’ve visited.” He adds that the Boks have won all four matches against the Wallabies over the past three seasons – three of those victories coming in Australia.

Keohane expects Erasmus to select a near full-strength team for the Ellis Park clash, based on how seriously the Bok coach approaches the first Test of a two-match series: “There is no arrogance in having confidence in a world champion Springboks match 23 playing at home against a Wallabies team that was ranked as low as eighth in the world a year ago and is currently ranked sixth.”

He predicts the starting XV from 15 to 1: Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Manie Libbok, Grant Williams, Cobus Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche.

That excludes the likes of Handré Pollard, Damian Willemse, RG Snyman and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – a reminder of the Springboks’ formidable depth and a reason why Erasmus could rotate the entire starting XV for the following Test in Cape Town.

“To do so would not be arrogant on his part,” writes Keohane, “but an endorsement to every player in his squad and reinforcement of his plan to manage game time.”

In contrasting the Boks’ flyhalf riches with Australia’s options, Keohane takes aim at the Wallabies’ selection at No 10: “The Wallabies, at No 10, have Tom Lynagh, who, with the greatest respect to the young man, would not make the Boks’ extended squad.”

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