Vincent Koch says the Springboks will be ready for any tricks from the Wallabies front row when the two packs clash in Adelaide on Saturday. DYLAN JACK reports.

The Springbok reserve tighthead prop will be in action against the Wallabies at the Adelaide Oval for the first of two Rugby Championship Tests in Australia.

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Having suffered two successive losses to the Wallabies in Australia, and with a poor record there in general, the Springboks are well aware of the challenge that awaits.

In last year’s first Test between the two sides on the Gold Coast, the Springboks suffered a heartbreaking 28-26 loss after the Wallabies won a late penalty from a scrum, which veteran flyhalf Quade Cooper converted.

“We learned quite a lot out of that,” Koch told media on Wednesday. “It was the last scrum of the game, which unfortunately cost us. We know what they are going to bring, but our main focus is on ourselves. We want to get better. If we focus on that, it will definitely pay off on Saturday.”

The Bok tighthead is once again part of the bench Bomb Squad, which has been slightly altered to include an extra back in place of one of the six replacement forwards.

While the Springboks have often counted on being able to bring on a fresh tight five from the bench in crucial matches, Koch said that having one less backup forward won’t matter too much.

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“I don’t think it has a massive impact,” Koch explained. “Each player in the Bomb Squad has a certain role, whether it’s a six-two or a five-three. We all know what to do when we get on to the field. The dynamics won’t change much. We just have to perform and keep the intensity where the starters finished off.”

The Wallabies are coming off a bonus-point win and heavy loss to Los Pumas in Argentina. In their opening game of the Rugby Championship campaign, they stepped up to the challenge of matching a tough Argentinian pack and last year showed that they can get the better of the Boks.

“Australia has got a really good pack and a good front row on the bench as well. It’s going to be a really good challenge,” said Koch. “But we are focused on what we can do better and what we learned from the Tests against New Zealand.

“It’s going to be a good battle between the two packs and a big challenge for us.”

Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images