As the Wallabies gear up for their Rugby Championship opener against the reigning world champions, the Springboks, at Ellis Park, they face what All Blacks icon Murray Mexted describes as the ultimate test in rugby. This Saturday's clash in Johannesburg, notorious for its lung-busting altitude, presents a daunting challenge for Joe Schmidt's squad.
Mexted, speaking to DSPN alongside Martin Devlin, emphasized the brutal impact of the high elevation. "You can’t dismiss it," he asserted. "If you walked up a slope in Johannesburg, you would be wanting to stop for a beer halfway up," he joked, highlighting the additional strain athletes face playing at altitude. This, according to him, often leads to underestimations of exhaustion's role in game outcomes.
Despite coming off a strong finish against the British and Irish Lions, Mexted doubts the Wallabies' readiness for what awaits in South Africa.
"Thank you to the Lions, even though you weren’t good enough and none of you are going to go down in history. Thank you for coming and allowing Australia to work themselves out,"
he quipped. He believes that while the Wallabies have matured, playing the Springboks in Joburg is a different ball game entirely.While the All Blacks boast an undefeated streak at Eden Park since 1994, Mexted considers the challenge in Johannesburg to surpass any other.
"Now they’ve grown up a bit, they’ve got the biggest challenge in the whole world, the hardest place to play for any team in the world is Johannesburg against the Springboks,"
he remarked.Mexted is skeptical about Australia's chances but suggests that a close game would signify progress. "For the Wallabies, this is going to be a huge occasion and if they can come through this with credit, which is running them close… [but] I think it’s going to be very hard for the Wallabies to win the first Test at altitude," he said, hinting at the monumental task ahead.
Despite his earlier jab, Mexted acknowledged the value of the Lions tours, stressing their importance in challenging southern hemisphere teams. He concluded by highlighting the competitive edge these tours bring, underscoring their role in testing teams like the Springboks and the All Blacks in ways few other international fixtures can.