Springbok assistant coach Daan Human says the team is expecting a massive fightback from New Zealand in Cape Town on Saturday.
Human said they identified several areas the Boks needed to work on this week to build on their 31-27 victory in Johannesburg last Saturday.
The famous All Blacks Haka (Pic – Supplied)
The Boks scrum guru also hoped that Siya Kolisi could be available for selection this weekend and said they would monitor his progress after the Springbok captain took a hard knock to the face in the Johannesburg Test.
With the Springbok team for the clash only being announced on Thursday, Human said they had sufficient time to monitor Kolisi’s progress during the week before making a decision.
A victory for the Springboks would mark only the second time in history that they win four matches in a row against the All Blacks. The last won four in a row between 1937 and 1949 – when the Boks went on to win six consecutive Tests against the Kiwis.
It would also be the first four-peat since rugby unity in South Africa in the early 1990s, while victory at the DHL Stadium would also see the Boks clinch the Freedom Cup for the first time since 2009.
Last week’s third successive win over their arch-rivals marked only the second time in the professional era that the Boks had achieved a trio of wins, with the other occasion in 2009.
Human, however, was adamant that history was not the main motivational force for the team, but rather building on their encouraging start to the Rugby Championship so far, which has seen the Boks top the table with 14 points after three wins in as many games, and to continue to improve as they build toward to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
“The All Blacks made a massive comeback against Argentina after going down in their first match of the competition,” said Human.
“They are a world-class team, so we are expecting them to fight back equally hard this week. On the other hand, we have a lot of respect for them, and we know what they are capable of doing.
“That said, we are concentrating on our game and controlling what we can do in the game this weekend.”
Commenting on Kolisi’s injury, Human said: “Our medical team are still assessing the injuries and will decide during the week whether he will be available for selection. We are announcing the team on Thursday, so we’ll see how he goes through the week.
“He’s an important player for us and hopefully he can make a good recovery, but if he’s ruled out, the next guy will step in. We are blessed to have a lot of depth in the team, and we have full faith in the whole group to do the job.”
With the team having had a chance to review last weekend’s match, Human said there was room for improvement, although he said it was important not to forget the quality of the All Black team.
“We had our review and we feel there’s a lot we can work on and improve on,” said Human.
“That said, New Zealand are a quality side, and they are tough outfit to face, so one needs to be realistic about expecting great results against them in all departments.”
Zooming in on the scrums last weekend, Human said: “The All Blacks have one of the best and most powerful scrums in the world, so although I felt we did alright there last weekend, we can certainly still improve.”
The Springboks returned to the training field on Monday to begin their preparations for the crucial clash after travelling from Johannesburg to Cape Town on Sunday.
