Wallabies prepare for Perth Test against South Africa a year before home World Cup

Australia’s Wallabies will face South Africa in Perth on Sunday night in a Test match that comes exactly a year before the start of the home World Cup, the fixture also marking Les Kiss’s first match in charge against one of the traditional rugby powers.

Kiss has made several high-profile selection decisions for the clash, including moving Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to the wing and naming a bench heavy with forwards, and warned of the challenge ahead: “This is a big, big Test team, [and] everyone knows they go three, four deep in every position,” adding, “We expect nothing but a massive, massive Test match against them.”

Suaalii has been shifted from outside centre to start on the wing, a move Kiss said was partly to counter aerial threats: “[Suaalii’s] aerial battle is going to be big,” Kiss said. “He’s probably one of the best in the business.” Kiss also cited Len Ikitau’s ability to play No 12 and 13 and Hunter Paisami’s versatility and form as factors that facilitated the change.

Kiss acknowledged Suaalii’s willingness to adapt, saying the player remained “nothing but positive” when informed of the move and that he expects Suaalii to return to centre at some point when reserve winger Harry Potter is called on. Suaalii has made 24 Wallabies appearances and is 23; he recently told the Guardian he was keeping an “open mindset” about his position, and Kiss said: “I didn’t even have to explain some of the rationale around it or the reasons why we went that way, but he was up for it, no doubt,” adding, “When I spoke to him originally, [he said he will] put the jersey on, play anywhere – and I know they all say that – but to tell you the truth, I’m really happy with him at 13, I am.”

Kiss’s other notable selection is a bench containing six forwards, one more than the traditional 5-3 split, a decision he framed as a response to South Africa’s finishing group and front row which started the last two Tests against the All Blacks: “You look at what they’re finishing with and you can see the idea that Rassie [Erasmus, South Africa’s coach] has come in with. But we’ve got a pretty good bench too.”

South Africa’s make-up for Perth differs markedly from the side that beat New Zealand 43-28 in Baltimore two weeks ago to secure the series 3-1; flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit and centre Damian de Allende have been allowed to fly home, Erasmus has made 13 changes from the Baltimore starting XV, and Siya Kolisi, Jesse Kriel and Thomas du Toit have been left out of the 23. Only Eben Etzebeth and Ethan Hooker retain their places in the starting XV, while starting props Zachary Porthen, 22, and Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 25, who were named on the bench for the first Test against the All Blacks (won by New Zealand 33-16), did not play again in the series. Two-time World Cup winner Handrè Pollard has been recalled at flyhalf after missing the past three Tests, and inside centre André Esterhuizen will captain the Springboks for the first time.

Erasmus said he intended to use the Perth Test to assess squad depth: “We rolled the dice a little bit against the All Blacks by [selecting] consistently the same team,” he said. “We obviously were getting some momentum as [the series went] on longer, but if we keep on doing that, how would we know when we get to the Nations Championship at the end of the year, or at the World Cup next year, what can the next guy do?”

Kiss, who worked with Erasmus in Ireland, described him as a “deep thinker” and a “good mate” who will “have a few things up his sleeve, that’s for sure.” Reflecting on his own rugby education, Kiss said: “I learnt rugby through the eyes of Springboks,” adding, “That’s just the plain truth of it all. I loved the Wallabies, I saw the way we play, the skilful nature of our game, the way that we would use the ball on the back of [John] Eales and co taking that forward pack forward. So I knew the game, I understood the tenets of the game and how it worked, but when you’re on the ground and you learn the game through the eyes of the Springboks, it was a powerful way to learn first up. I often say it was a gift, to learn rugby through their eyes.”

The Perth match will serve both coaches as a test of personnel and depth ahead of the home World Cup: it falls one year before the tournament and the World Cup will kick off with the Wallabies playing at the same Perth venue.