3N: Australia vs. South Africa preview

July 14, 2006

The 2nd game of the Tri-Nations tournament goes Saturday at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane as Australia hosts the South Africa Springboks.

I can't see the Wallabies losing, and neither does Rugby Planet, who have Australia winning by 4 points, nor the bookies who have Australia winning by nine.

Rugby Planet's full preview here.

Sydney Morning Herald rugby correspondent Ben Kimber has a video preview here. Kimber tips the Wallabies "but not with any great confidence," and wonders if George Smith will come back with a big test after the Boks placed a bounty and pulled a dreadlock out of his head in 2004.

[Update: Sun. July 15, 4:41 pm ET] Former Springbok media advisor Mark Keohane claims the dreadlock bounty was 2002:

"I know it to be true because I was standing in the changeroom, in the huddle, when De Wet Barry took the dreadlock out of his pocket to claim the bounty prize."

Mediazone Rugby Channel has live coverage starting at 6:00 am ET Saturday morning, and tape downloads available thereafter for $7.99.