The All Blacks have outscored the Springboks nine tries to four over the first two Tests of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will be hoping to inspire his team to a second straight win in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
A big defensive shift is likely needed from the Springboks if they are to pick up a win over the All Blacks in the third Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test at the FNB Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 5:10pm) and take a 2-1 lead in the series.
The Boks have largely been decent over the first two matches, but their lack of finishing and not taking their points in the first Test at Ellis Park cost them dearly in a 33-16 loss, while they were much more clinical and took the points on offer in the second Test in Cape Town to record a 33-26 win.
But over those games the All Blacks outscored the Boks nine tries to four – five to one in Joburg and four to three at the Cape Town Stadium.
The boot of Cheslin Kolbe kept the Boks out of the All Blacks’ range over the past weekend, but they can’t always rely on that, and will need to try and keep the visitors out as much as possible in Soweto to give themselves their best chance of getting the win.
Earlier this week Bok coach Rassie Erasmus praised the attacking skills of the All Blacks, and explained that they were better in one-on-one duels, which allowed them to expose the Bok defence, beat them on the edges, and get over the whitewash more often.
They’re brilliant
“They’re brilliant. It’s something (exposing defence) that under Dave (Rennie) they’re doing really well. Under their attack coach (Mike Blair), they’re difficult to stop,” explained Erasmus.
“We had to work harder for our tries than they had to because they have one-on-one players who really just beat our guys with their feet. Without a doubt, that’s something to focus on and something that we must fix.
“They put us away (at Ellis Park) by 17 points, because we didn’t convert our opportunities. Last weekend, when we had our chances, we took our three points and we scored our tries.”
The Boks’ finishing will also have to be further improved, despite their better effort over the past weekend, and they will need to be more ruthless when given an opportunity.
They should have at least been able to match the All Blacks in the first Test, with the number of 22m entries and chances they had, but only put one away, while in the second Test they were clinical in the first half with three tries, but couldn’t add to that tally in the second and had to rely on the boot of Kolbe.
The Boks will thus be aiming to hit the sweet spot on both attack and defence to try and clinch a win which they have never managed in Soweto over the All Blacks, with them having lost their previous two games against them there, and take a 2-1 series lead into the final Test in Baltimore, USA next weekend.
