Jack Dempsey delivers fighting talk ahead of first crack in the Wallabies starting line-up

Given his name‚ it was only appropriate for Jack Dempsey to deliver some fighting talk ahead his first crack in the Wallabies starting line-up against the Springboks in Bloemfontein tomorrow.

And he has set his sights rather high in the Rugby Championship clash that is likely to determine who will finish runner up to New Zealand.

“(Eben) Etzebeth is their captain and leader of their forward pack‚ their line-out caller.

"He’s pretty much the leader on and off the field.

"He’s a guy I’m going to look out to try and make a mark on‚” said Dempsey.

Etzebeth and Co are likely to welcome a fully physically engaging Wallaby forward approach.

After all‚ it is at close quarters where the Boks are more likely to constrict opponents who usually excel in the wide open spaces.

Not that the Wallabies are unaware of the Boks’ pot

ency upfront. “They are all good in the set piece and the maul‚” said Dempsey.

Fellow first-timer in the starting line-up‚ lock Izack Rodda concurs.

“I believe they are a strong team.

"They are physical around the park‚ which is not like most teams.

"Their set-piece and their driving maul is a really good weapon for them.

"Their ball carries and ability to get around the park is real good.”

The Wallabies expect the Springboks to be in frenzied pursuit of restoring their reputation following the battering it took in the 57-0 defeat against New Zealand

“As a professional player we’ve all had games where you get a bit of a hiding.

"You always come out better for it.

"The Springboks are a great team.

"One defeat doesn’t define who they are.

"We are not going into this game thinking about what happened against the All Blacks.

"We are thinking about this game and this game only‚” said Dempsey.

Rodda was rather diplomatic about the Springboks’ nadir in New Zealand.

“The scoring didn’t go their way the week before but you have to respect them as a team.

"They are going to come at us with everything they’ve got and we’ll do the same. It’s just going to be one big battle.” - TimesLIVE