SA’s director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus says Australia coach Eddie Jones “is sort of a field of goodies – you by no means know what you’ll get”.

The Springboks deal with the Wallabies within the Rugby Championship opener in Pretoria on Saturday, in Jones’ first sport of his second spell in control of the Aussies.

“It’s tough from a South African perspective to determine what he [Jones] will do,” Erasmus informed reporters earlier than the match at a sold-out crowd of 52,000 at Loftus Versfeld.

“Australia haven’t performed any warm-up video games that will give us some insights.

“I have no idea how a lot they may be capable to change for us – however I do know that Eddie will attempt to get his crew to outmuscle us,” he added after utilizing a quote made well-known within the 1994 movie Forrest Gump starring Tom Hanks.

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The Wallabies squad contains France-based locks Will Skelton and uncapped Richie Arnold, each standing greater than two metres tall and weighing over 130kgs.

Erasmus, coach of the 2019 World Cup-winning Boks, believes it is going to take Jones “three to 4 matches” to place his stamp on Australia.

“That stated, he is aware of South Africa. He helped coach the Springboks crew that gained the 2007 World Cup. He is aware of our mentality,” Erasmus stated.

“I at all times really feel {that a} South African working with South Africans will get the most effective out of South Africans. Equally, I believe an Australian working with Australians will get the most effective out of them. He is aware of the Aussie setup.”

Jones is hoping to be the primary Australia coach to win at Loftus after seven losses for the reason that the primary assembly in 1963 and has skilled triumph and torment in dealings with South African sides.

Other than serving to then-Boks coach Jake White obtain glory in France in 2007, he plotted the best World Cup shock as Japan surprised South Africa in a 2015 group match.

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The South Africans beat Jones-coached England within the 2019 World Cup remaining and when the inexperienced and gold gained once more, at Twickenham final November, Jones paid the final word value by being sacked.

He didn’t stay unemployed for lengthy although, changing Kiwi Dave Rennie, who had overseen a dismal 2022 season with Australia, shedding 9 of 13 Assessments.

Jones careworn that cash was not a problem – he reportedly took a 50 % lower after being the very best paid rugby coach on this planet when with England.

“When the chance got here I jumped at it as a result of (Australian) rugby is in a reasonably darkish place and desires a little bit of vitality, a little bit of route,” he informed reporters earlier than Australia left for South Africa final week.

“We have to work a bit more durable and have to create a mode of rugby that’s quintessentially Australian. We have now been copying different groups and that’s not the Australian method.

“Australians, in whichever sport they play, are a lot better when they’re aggressive. Once we are constructive and within the face of the opposition, we’re doing it our method.

“When we’ve got numbers on the line in assault and defence, like mongrel canines operating round, that’s the place we’re at our greatest,” he added.

Requested earlier than the crew left for Johannesburg, what the recipe for achievement in opposition to the Boks was, Jones was usually forthright.

“You’ve got to execute a sport plan the place you win sufficient possession to push them to the opposite finish of the sector and preserve them beneath strain.”

Requested if that will contain a kicking technique, Jones replied: “Any method you’ll be able to mate, simply stand up the opposite finish of the sector. Whether or not you run and go or kick, it doesn’t matter, so long as you stand up there.”

© Agence France-Presse

Picture: David Ramos/World Rugby through Getty Photos