'We all know what's happened before': Ardie Savea's message to All Blacks

All Blacks captain Ardie Savea doesn’t need reminding what a “wounded beast” Springboks team can produce, with memories of last year’s Wellington Test still fresh in mind ahead of a familiar second-Test scenario.

New Zealand stole game one of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series in Johannesburg last week, putting the hosts on the back foot heading into week two of the series in Cape Town.

The All Blacks had to weather a ferocious Springbok storm early in the match, but managed to make it to halftime with just a one-point deficit on the scoreboard. While the Springboks were first to strike again in the second half through the boot of Cheslin Kolbe, it was New Zealand who screamed home with three tries to seal a famous win.

The positives are clear, but the early pressure the Springboks applied was front of mind for Savea when asked about the improvements his men need to make.

“I think our start, for one,” he told reporters on the eve of the match. “South Africa – a world-class team – came out of the blocks physical, dominant. I don’t think we’ll get away with that if we start like that again. So we need to turn up, but also be accurate.

“We all know what’s happened before, in the past. They’re a dangerous, dangerous side and it’s a testament to the quality that they have across the board.

“So we understand the threat. We understand the wounded beast. We understand that when you do lose, everything is amplified. But that’s just the same thing as us; we don’t want to sit there after 80 minutes with our heads down. So, we’ve done our part to prepare for this week, know what’s coming, but also what is required from us as a team to be able to respond as well.”

The captain spent Friday morning engaging with local All Blacks fans in Cape Town, and was blown away by the level of support his team have in the region.

One fan interaction in particular made for a special moment, when Savea learned the family had driven all the way from Namibia, with the son, Ardie, excited to meet his namesake. It was a bigger-than-rugby moment for the Kiwi star.

With the swell of support and a series-opening win behind them, Savea was sure to temper expectations and keep the main goal in sight: a performance on Saturday evening.

“We do (know what’s coming), and hopefully we show that tomorrow night. We’ve just got to be accurate and stay disciplined, not let them in the areas of the field where they want to play. It’s all well and good me talking about it now, but we have to turn up.”