All Blacks not ruling out surprise tactics from 'old foe'
The current iteration of the Springboks have built their reputation on kicking-oriented, forwards-dominated rugby – but the All Blacks aren’t putting all their eggs in one basket when it comes to preparing to play against the world champions this weekend.
The All Blacks and Springboks will square off in back-to-back Test matches in South Africa over the coming weeks and while Ian Foster’s men have some idea what their opposition will bring to the table, they certainly aren’t ruling out a surprise attack.
Last year, every expectation was that the Springboks would simply try out-muscle the All Blacks up front in their rematch match on the Gold Coast during the Rugby Championship after attempting to do just that in their first clash of the competition.
While they may not have entirely shied away from that tactic, the Springboks came out of the blocks firing with some brilliant interlinking play to set up an early try for Damian de Allende.
Throughout the match, the Springboks weren’t afraid to throw caution to the wind and they eventually triumphed 31-29 after suffering a 17-19 defeat in the more kicking-oriented first match-up. The All Blacks will be wary that South Africa have plenty of firepower to call upon should they decide to spring a surprise again in 2022.
“They’ll definitely play to their strengths, as they always do,” said experienced All Blacks second-rower Sam Whitelock this week. “In saying that, you never want to go in there and think that you have their game plan in your head.
“They’re smart guys, got a number of players that play around the world, so they’ve got a number of different styles they can go to and that’s something for us [to keep an eye on], to make sure we can stop their Plan A and from that, if they change it, then we’ve got to be able to stop [their Plan B] as well.
“That’s the beauty of rugby. You can go out there and sometimes you know how they’re going to play and just stopping it’s the major [challenge]. That’s the cool thing, that’s the cool challenge about playing against South Africa – the old foe, as such.”
While the Springboks eventually secured a 2-1 series victory over Wales in July, the All Blacks had no such luck, dropping their final two matches against Ireland to suffer a historic series defeat.
Whitelock says that the pressure the All Blacks are facing now is similar to when he first earned a call-up in 2010.
“When I first came into the team we were going into a World Cup at home, hadn’t won it for 24 years and there was a lot of external pressure. The best advice I got given from the senior players was ‘Don’t read into media, don’t worry about those things, just control what you can control,’ and that’s the main thing I’ve been trying to tell the boys and think about myself.
“Controlling how you’re training, how you’re playing, how you’re preparing, that’s the best thing I got given as advice and it’s still true now I’m one of the older boys.
“I think from looking back to look forward, the times we’ve been here before, especially nailing the week and you’ve just got to deal with what’s in front of you.
Today, we just had to deal with clarity, get that understanding, and then as the week goes that will change slightly. But you’ve got to nail the days that lead into kick-off on Saturday. We’ve got to nail them and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Saturday’s match between the All Blacks and Springboks will kick off at 5:05pm SAST (3:05am NZT) from Mbombela Stadium.
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
5 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
5 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments