Aussies ripe for picking

The Springboks will put their five-match unbeaten streak on the line when they face the Wallabies in Perth on Saturday.

Australia have slipped to fifth on the World Rugby rankings, but they haven't become a bad side overnight. Australia's display in Dunedin was a wake-up call, and it would be naive of South Africa to take them lightly.

However, with back-to-back Rugby Championship wins under their belt, it's all in the Springboks' hands. Their confidence is sky-high and, by all accounts, they are preparing well in Australia, having arrived in the country earlier than usual.

Facing Australia is not an acid test for South Africa, but it's certainly a step higher than what they have encountered against France and Argentina this season. Though Australia's Super Rugby franchises struggled, the level of understanding under Michael Cheika in terms of how the Wallabies want to play is apparent.

The Wallabies don't possess a power pack, but they boast exciting outside backs. The Australian offence will ask different questions of South Africa's defence.

The issue is in dealing with their running lines and decoy runners. Devising plans to quell their attack is technical but it's not something that should create too many headaches for the Boks.

Nevertheless, the Wallabies will pose more difficulties for the Bok defence than the Pumas did.

If Australia's attack is their strength, their defence is a weak point the Boks can target. The Wallabies have had different defensive setups from one lineout to the next and that suggests there is a lack of continuity in this area.

The Wallabies delivered a much-improved defensive effort against the All Blacks in Bledisloe II, but defence is definitely not the Wallabies' go-to weapon. The Springboks must head into the game intent on putting the Wallabies under extreme pressure with ball in hand. If you exert pressure on them, their defence will crack.

The visitors will also be aiming to dominate the Wallabies at scrum time but, as Os du Randt pointed out earlier this week, the Boks must brace for skulduggery from Cheika's charges.

South Africa, who dominated Argentina at the set-piece, are going to have to be smart in countering Australia, whose modus operandi is to depower opposition scrums and milk free kicks by closing the gap and not taking the hit on the engage. It will be fascinating to see how the scrum battle plays out on Saturday but I don't see it being too much of a drama for South Africa.

Three of the Boks' four victories on Australian soil over the past 21 years have been achieved in Perth and I see them adding to that tally in the 84th Test between the fierce southern hemisphere foes.