Preview: Australia v South Africa; Rugby 365

The significance of the World Cup, now just 60-odd days away, can't be ignored when looking at the approach of the two teams - Australia and South Africa - to Saturday's opening round of the Rugby Championship.

Both Michael Cheika and Heyneke Meyer are using the tournament to fine-tune their teams, but winning remains vitally important.

Any loss will cast doubt - not just about the personnel they are putting on trial, but also their gameplans. It will be a setback, regardless of what they say in public.

"As a Springbok coach it is always important to win," Meyer told a media scrum in Brisbane this week.

However, he also made it clear that winning in Brisbane remains a massive hurdle - with South Africa boasting just one win from in nine matches in the Queensland capital since the Springboks' readmission to the international fold in 1992, a stat that is further highlighted by the fact that they have just five wins from 26 visits to Australia in all matches in the same period. Three of those victories were in Perth, the Boks' Aussie home.

Meyer said the last time the Boks visited Brisbane, in 2013 when they came away with a 38-12 win, was one of the best Springbok performances since he has been involved with the national team.

"You simply have to be at your best," the Bok coach said, when asked what it would take to repeat the result of their last visit to the Suncorp Stadium.

"They [Australia] are the type of side that can run you ragged, so defensively you have to be very astute," Meyer said.

He added that the rookie midfield pairing of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel will have a vital role to play on defence.

"We are facing one of the best attacking backlines and the way Australia have been playing under [Michael] Cheika is they move the ball around.

"We have to minimise our errors and if we get a chance we must score from their mistakes."

Meyer also described Michael Cheika and Stephen Larkham as two of the "most astute" brains in the game and said they have an advantage, because they have been working with the players throughout the Super Rugby season, as Waratahs (Cheika) and Brumbies (Larkham) coaches.

"Because I didn't have time with the national side, that is a frustration for me.

"For them most of the things are in place, because the bulk of the squad are from those two teams. [For them] it is easier to get going and have continuity."

However, as in all Tests, it will start with the set pieces and the Boks will have to at their best.

The Bok mentor dismissed the notion that the Wallaby pack is the team's soft underbelly.

Australia do have an unbelievable pack of forwards," he said, adding: "Just look what the Brumbies did to the Stormers [in the Super Rugby play-offs].

"That [the Wallabies' forwards are a weakness] is a misconception - they have really improved their forward play, especially their scrummaging.

"Previously they never had a driving maul and now they can maul as well they have a physical presence in the set pieces.

"On the ground they have always been one of the best teams, you never get quick ball against them."

Players to watch:

For Australia: The return of Matt Giteau after a four-year absence will automatically have the spotlight on the him, to see how much of his sill and pace he has retained. Israel Folau must always be watched, especially by the opposing defences, while the power of Adam Ashley-Cooper and Tevita Kuridrani are valuable assets to the Wallabies. Michael Hooper will be vital at the breakdowns and Will Skelton needs to separate physicality from thuggish play.

For South Africa: The rookie midfield combination of Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende must show they can replicate last week's impressive form against tougher opposition. Handré Pollard needs to find his kicking boot and Ruan Pienaar's service will also be key. Schalk Burger's new skilful game is always a joy to watch, Marcell Coetzee gets another chance to cement a starting spot and Victor Matfield will be in the spotlight again - because of his age. Another veterans who showed an improvement in form last week is prop Jannie du Plessis.

Head to head: There is skill and brute force all over the park, but the most intriguing of the battles will be at inside centre - the comeback kid Matt Giteau (Australia) against Super Rugby's most impressive Midfielder in Damian de Allende (South Africa). Quade Cooper (Australia) will have a lot to prove when he faces off against an out-of-sorts Handré Pollard (South Africa) in the flyhalf channel. Michael Hooper (Australia) will be up against Francois Louw (South Africa) in the breakdown battle - which could prove to be the most crucial of the game's showdowns.

Recent results:
2014: South Africa won 28-10, Cape Town
2014: Australia won 24-23, Perth
2013: South Africa won 28-8, Cape Town
2013: South Africa won 38-12, Brisbane
2012: South Africa won 31-8, Pretoria
2012: Australia won 26-19, Perth
2011: Australia won 11-9, Wellington (World Cup quarterfinal)
2011: Australia won 14-9, Durban
2011: Australia won 39-20, Sydney
2010: Australia won 41-39, Bloemfontein

Prediction: The Wallabies have lost four of the last five meetings between the sides, although their one win in that run came the last time the sides met on Australian soil. Australia have not managed to score more than two tries in their last eight games against the Springboks, scoring less than two in six of those games. The last two meetings between the two sides each saw the team leading at half-time go on to lose the game. Three of Australia's last four victories over the Springboks have come when the Wallabies were behind going into half-time behind on the scoreboard. South Africa's last four victories over the Wallabies have all been by margins of 18 points or more. South Africa emerged victorious on their last visit to Suncorp Stadium, but had lost on all seven previous meetings at the ground by an average margin of 20 points. However, Australia have won just one of their last five games at Suncorp Stadium, after winning five in a row at the Brisbane venue before that. The Wallabies are on a run of just one win in their last seven games, their worst run of form since 2009. Australia conceded the most penalties per game in last year's Rugby Championship (12.8) while South Africa averaged the fewest (9.8). The Wallabies averaged 16 kicks from hand in the 2014 edition, a tournament low, while the Springboks put boot to ball the most (28). It is a tough game to call and South Africa will no doubt give the Wallabies a very good go. However, conditions may favour Australia, who will sneak a five-point win.

Teams:

Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Will Skelton, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Stephen Moore (captain), 1 James Slipper.
Replacement: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Scott Sio, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 James Horwill, 20 David Pocock, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 Drew Mitchell.

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Schalk Burger, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Lodewyk de Jager, 20 Teboho Mohoje, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.

Date: Saturday, July 18
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick-off: 20.05 (12.05 SA time; 10.05 GMT)
Expected weather: Plenty of sunshine and the rain is not expected to arrive before Sunday. High of 20°C and a low of  6°C
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Glen Jackson (New Zealand), Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

By Jan de Koning
@King365ed
@rugby365com

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