Putting on the bite

Springbok scrumhalf Francois Hougaard has been on the periphery of the squad for a year, but tomorrow at Newlands he will be a central and potentially match winning figure against the Wallabies.

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer said that his side would look to play a more expansive style, weather permitting, and that means Hougaard will have to ensure the tempo and rhythm remains constant and upbeat.

Hougaard appeared rusty after he took the field against the All Blacks in Wellington two weeks ago, and the team lost 14-10, but should now be all the keener to prove his worth.

Of course, the Bok pack will need to be on the front foot to give Hougaard the platform that he needs to rekindle the magic that made him such a devastating force in 2010 and 2011.

Injuries, loss of form due to constant positional switching and low confidence have plagued the 26-year-old for the past 18 months, but this match represents a chance for Hougaard to remind everyone of his capabilities.

His kicking game is not as assured as that of the injured Fourie du Preez, but his speed to the breakdown and decision-making can be excellent.

Unlike Du Preez, who operates as the team's brain, Hougaard simply has to feed flyhalf Handré Pollard, who will make the big decisions on the day.

The Boks - in wings Cornal Hendricks and Bryan Habana, and fullback Willie le Roux - have the weapons to cause problems if given enough space, which was a fact acknowledged by Wallaby wing Joe Tomane.

"Their back three have serious speed," Tomane said when quizzed about the Boks' strength in that area. But he also issued a warning of his own: "We have Israel," in reference to Australia fullback Israel Folau.

The giant No15 is a potential match-winner on his own and the Boks are aware that denying him any space or good field position in attacking positions is vital.

Three weeks ago in Perth, the Boks kept Folau in check after he breezed through the line for an opening-minute try. The Wallabies won the game 24-23, but were aided by some odd refereeing decisions by George Clancy.

For the Wallabies to bring Folau into the match they will need to gain at least parity in the forward exchanges. Wallaby coach Ewen McKenzie said the selection of hooker Saia Fainga'a would strengthen their set pieces but it's unlikely that it will be enough to stop the Bok scrum and lineout dominating.

Where the Wallabies could have the edge is at the breakdown. The Boks have lost the influential Francois Louw toinjury. When paired with Marcell Coetzee in particular, he was instrumental in unnerving the All Blacks and Wallabies on tour.

Teboho Mohoje's selection as a ball-carrying flank will work as long as he has enough ball to carry, but if the Boks are embroiled in a battle for supremacy on the deck, they might come up short.

South Africa, though, won nine breakdown turnovers against the All Blacks - Habana winning three and centre Jan Serfontein two - so they have other contributors in that area of the game.