Overview

• James Slipper failed a head-injury assessment and Dylan Pietsch suffered a broken jaw, ruling both out of the second Test, while Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit face multi-week sidelined spells.
• Hamish Stewart has joined the Wallabies in Johannesburg and Filipo Daugunu with Rhys van Nek will link up in Cape Town to reinforce Australia’s depleted forward and backline options.
• Rassie Erasmus admitted his staff missed tactical opportunities in the first Test and is poised to simplify his expansive game plan and refresh his starting lineup.
• Joe Schmidt and Will Skelton have warned of an aggressive Springbok response in Newlands, prompting Australia to intensify physical training and detailed video review.
• Saturday’s rematch in Cape Town carries major implications for both teams’ Rugby Championship rankings and will influence World Cup seedings for the next cycle.