Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick is under no illusions that anything but a complete performance from his charges will be enough to beat the All Blacks in their Rugby Championship clash, at Ellis Park, on Saturday.
The Springboks may be considered slight favourites at home given their recent form, and that they edged New Zealand the last time they met in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final.
In fact, South Africa have won four of their last six encounters against the mighty All Blacks. The previous 10 matches dating back to July 2015 between the sides, saw New Zealand win eight times with one draw and one victory for South Africa.
However, the All Blacks always remain a dangerous opponent for the Springboks and any small mistakes throughout the game will surely be punished by the visitors believed Stick.
Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick is under no illusions that anything but a complete performance from his charges will be enough to beat the All Blacks in their Rugby Championship clash, at Ellis Park, on Saturday.
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‘We can’t afford to start slow’
“When you play against the All Blacks, the biggest thing you must learn is that if you’re not switched on they will punish you. We can’t afford to start slow against them, and it had to be an 80-minute performance,” said Stick.
“The last few times we’ve played against them have been some of the most entertaining encounters, especially given how they play until the final whistle, and I don’t think it will be any different this weekend.
“If we don’t get momentum and dominate the set pieces, it could be a long day for us.”
The Springboks though, may have a not-so-secret weapon at their disposal in the form of attack coach Tony Brown. The former All Black has added a new dimension of attacking flair to the Springbok game, which can only be an advantage for the men in green.
“Tony understands their DNA. He played for them, and he’s coached alongside some of their coaches, so yes, we’ve tapped into that.
“They are a team that take pride in what they do, so we are expecting them to come hard at us, but we’ll be ready for that. They keep the ball in hand as long as possible, but we are well-conditioned and know what to expect.”
The Springboks will also be buoyed by a certain Eben Etzebeth on the bench. The talismanic enforcer had an injury scare early in the week, but was able to train with the team since Monday and was included among the replacements after initially being left out.
“We’ve selected a well-balanced side with players who can make a strong impact off the bench and which we believe can counter what they throw at us.”
“He’s [Etzebeth] looking good, and we are confident that he’ll make a massive impact.
“We’ve selected a strong team, and we have players like Pieter-Steph [du Toit], while Ruan [Nortje] has really grabbed his opportunity. They all have a massive work-rate, and that’s vital against a team like the All Blacks where you must play until the last second, so we are excited about the players we have on the bench.”