'We’re well aware': All Blacks coach Dave Rennie not phased by Springboks' scrum

Dave Rennie is confident that the All Blacks‘ forwards will match the Springboks at set piece time in the first Test at Ellis Park.

Much has been made about South Africa’s strength at the scrum and maul with their loaded bench providing two different forward packs.

The All Blacks’ scrum wobbled in the first warm-up game against the Stormers, with Pasilio Tosi under pressure conceding four penalties, but provided a better showing against the Sharks and Bulls.

Last year’s Eden Park Test featured a rare tighthead by the Springboks, winning possession against the feed and demolishing the All Blacks pack backward.

Rennie knows what to expect from South Africa but believed the All Blacks will handle it.

“You play to your strengths. They’ll see [the scrum] as a strength. I think our scrum will bar up,” Rennie told media.

“I think what they’ve been good at is applying a lot of pressure. Back-to-back penalties, put you in a corner, and they’re the best in the world at turning that pressure into points down there.

“They lead a lot of key metrics against all the other teams in the world.

“Our discipline will be really important, our accuracy will be really important, our set-piece will be massive.

“But that’s exciting. We get an opportunity to measure up against the best in the world, so the boys are looking forward to it.”

The All Blacks head coach also identified the line speed as another area of the game that will rise in intensity.

South Africa’s blitz defence is renown for restricting teams and proving hard to crack, while the All Blacks haven’t been tested with pressure like that under Rennie yet.

“We’re well aware of the quality of the side that we’ll play against and the pressure that they’ll bring,” Rennie said.

“Certainly the line speed will be a hell of a lot higher than what we faced on the weekend [against the Bulls], especially, and in any of those games, and then the intensity throughout.

“We’ve got a number of guys who have played a lot of footy here in South Africa and we know we’re going to have to be really good.

“We’re going to have to play at our best and force them to be below their best.”