Suncorp Stadium Hex: Springboks Go Head To Head Against Wallabies, Hope For Their First Win
By Priscilla Rotich
The Wallabies will look to continue their winning streak on the pitch when they take on the Springboks this weekend at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. South Africa may be the two-time reigning men's rugby world champions, but they have failed to win at Stream City during their reign as champions.
The Springboks have not beaten the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium since a 38-12 win in 2013. Dave Rennie did the same with a 30-0 win in 2021.
But something has happened since that 13-point win three years ago. South Africa made history by becoming only the second nation to win the men's rugby World Cup, with many tipping them as favorites for Saturday's blockbuster.
The Wallabies may be three-for-three under head coach Joe Schmidt, but the challenge ahead is sure to be fierce, but Lukhan Salakaia-Loto is demanding the squad be ready as she prepares for the Rugby Championship showdown.
"You can't see any support at this stage, I've heard rumors it's almost a sell-out at Suncorp Stadium, so the fan base is huge, a big part of it. We're going to use every single one of them to support us and rally us against the South Africans," Salakaia-Loto told reporters on Tuesday.
For Salakaia-Loto, the chance to win a Wallabies gold medal at Suncorp Stadium is exciting. “I think we're winning games here, we're gaining confidence and that becomes a reinforcement when you win more games, so ideally we can continue that momentum,” said Salakaia. The second-stringer, who scored for Queensland Reds on Saturday, returns to Ballymore after a spell in the top flight a few years ago.
Salakaia-Loto began his career with the Reds when he was 19 and has since been a consistent presence in their lineup. He has made 69 appearances for the Brisbane-based team and was a key contributor to their success in winning the Super Rugby AU title in 2021.
The Wallabies have not lost any matches at the beginning of the year, but they are facing what is considered to be the top team in the world in their next test. The Springboks have won the men's rugby world championship twice due to several factors, and their forwards' strong performance in crucial matches has occasionally been the deciding factor in their path to success.
Whoever is picked will need to be at their best come the start of the Rugby Championship. Looking at the teams that the coaches have at their disposal, there are definitely some teams that will explode in the next two weeks. Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph Du Toit are just some of the players who will be in the Boks colours.
The Wallabies will be without injured wingers Fraser McReight and Liam Wright for this match against the Boks, but they can count on Victimize Valetini, Allan Alaalatoa and Salakaia-Loto. It will be a reduced battle.
“We don’t expect it to be easy, we know what’s ahead and we know it’s going to be tough,” said Salakaia. The Wallabies play the Springboks at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday, before taking on the reigning world champions for the second time at Optus Stadium in Perth at Admiral 17.
JUDY ROTICH