Tonight on SAS Australia, the 14 remaining celebrity recruits were taught how to use aggression to their advantage by turning it on and off when needed.
Day five got underway with a dangerous fast rope insertion into water, followed by a casualty rescue mission in an abandoned compound, where only a handful recruits successfully located both casualties and passed the task.
Chief Instructor Ant Middleton and course medic Dr Dan Pronk took tennis legend Mark Philippoussis through his psychometric test results, which showed high activity but low drive, suggesting a lack of passion and aggression.
“You’re lacking that fire, that aggression, to get the job done,” said Middleton. “We’re seeing the work ethic but I need more.”
Philippoussis replied: “I want to be a better husband, I want to be a better father. I need to come back updated to my family, and for myself, because I know that’s going to help me achieve bigger things.”
From freezing cold showers to emptying the latrines, life on Base got real for some recruits before they all came face to face with the ultimate test of controlled aggression – a vicious hand-to-hand combat test where the only form of defence was attack.
Bra Boy Koby Abberton took on River Boy Dan Ewing, while the pairing of the course’s oldest recruit, Kerri Pottharst, against Jessica Peris sent shockwaves through the group.
During a savage fight with Mark Philippoussis, musician Pete Murray fell and dislocated his elbow, a serious injury which left him with no option but to be medically withdrawn from the course.
“I didn’t expect to go out like this,” said Murray. “I was getting flogged, I couldn’t get close to him.”
Alicia Molik chose to hand in her number after retreating from the onslaught of Jana Pittman’s punches in a brutal bout.
I just got scared,” said Molik. “I thought I’d be a good fighter. I tried my best.”
