Ten times the Wallabies have attempted to storm South Africa’s menacing rugby fortress and only once have they finished exhausted yet with the satisfaction of a Springbok scalp.
You have to go all the way back to 1963 for that Ellis Park one hit wonder in a year in which the Beach Boys, Peter, Paul and Mary and the Surfaris were surging up the charts.
That 11-9 slugfest in front of 65,000 featured just one try to Australian winger John Williams as fullback Terry Casey kicked crucial goals for a side captained by prop John Thornett and starring the great Ken Catchpole at halfback.
Many a legendary Wallaby has since limped away from Johannesburg’s concrete jungle including Tim Horan who played in the 29-15 defeat in 1998.
If a brutish Bok forward doesn’t get you then the lungbusting altitude will.
The site of South Africa’s famous 1995 Rugby World Cup triumph is perched regally at 1724m — allowing the lungs just 82 per cent of the oxygen available at sea level.
“The last 10 or 20 minutes of the match, you’re really trying to suck it in and there’s no air to breathe in,” Horan told Fox Sports News.
“It’s a tough place to win.”
Australia hasn’t played a Test match at Ellis Park since 2008 when they had their pants pulled down in an embarrassing 53-8 capitulation.
The All Blacks generally get top billing at South Africa’s premier rugby venue and so this year’s Rugby Championship opener (July 21 AEST) will be new territory for all but one of Michael Cheika’s squad.
Adam Ashley-Cooper, a forlorn figure at fullback 11 years ago, is the only survivor among the 34-man squad currently preparing on the Highveld.
Rassie Erasmus’s plan to rest some of his biggest names should give the Wallabies a sniff although the death of World Cup-winning winger James Small will set up a emotionally charged atmosphere.
“It’s certainly a winnable match for the Wallabies,” Horan opined.
“They need a very good start and most of the last eight or nine years in this competition, they’ve played the All Blacks first.
“So a good opportunity for the Wallabies.
“It won’t be an easy match at a tough place to win.
“Great to see the Wallabies have gone over early to spend two weeks in Johannesburg to acclimatise to the altitude.
“So to acclimatise, it’s a good opportunity to go in two weeks prior and I think Michael Cheika has put a pretty good squad together.”
Highly paid sports scientists and know it all couch potatoes all have theories on how best to combat the altitude factor.
The Wallabies — now guided by well regarded head performance coach Dean Benton — have opted for the ‘get in early’ approach although Horan preferred a hit and run mission.
“Fly in on the Thursday, train on the Friday and play the game on the Saturday,” Horan said.
“I actually found that was probably better.
“We spent a lot of time down in Durban and then we’d come up from sea level to altitude on the Thursday afternoon and play the Test match or Super Rugby game.
“I felt that was probably a little bit better.
“But two weeks, you need at least 10-12 days to acclimatise so I think Michael Cheika, it’s good time to spend among the squad, especially away from home and to bond as a team.”
WALLABIES v SPRINGBOKS AT ELLIS PARK
- 1933: 12-3
- 1953: 25-3
- 1961: 28-3
- 1963: 11-9
- 1969: 30-11
- 1998: 29-15
- 2002: 33-31
- 2005: 33-20
- 2006: 24-16
- 2008: 53-8
