All Blacks attack coach Mike Blair expects it to be a case of “us against the rest of South Africa” when the men in black undertake their next task in the international arena.
After finishing their recent round of Nations Championship matches in style with an impressive 40-21 triumph over Ireland at Eden Park on Saturday, the All Blacks are now fully focused on their eagerly anticipated Greatest Rivalry series against the Springboks.
New Zealand will head out to South Africa in early August with the All Blacks taking on all four of the United Rugby Championship sides ahead of three clashes with the Springboks in Johannesburg (twice) and Cape Town, before Baltimore hosts the fourth and final Test on September 12.
Apart from beating Ireland, New Zealand also registered victories over France and Italy while South Africa secured wins against England, Scotland and Wales with the world champions setting the pace atop the Nations Championship’s Southern Hemisphere standings by virtue of a superior points difference.
Despite being overshadowed by the Springboks in recent years, Blair is confident the All Blacks can win the four-Test series against their arch-rivals.
Quietly confident
“I believe so,” he said. “We’re also conscious of how impressive South Africa has been in these (Nations Championship) Test matches. They’ve mixed and matched their teams without seemingly skipping a beat.
“It’s going to be a big step up for us, so we’re going to have to evolve and improve again.”
He believes the All Blacks’ busy schedule in South Africa will affect how they prepare their players.
“Our challenge is how we get the guys rugby, how we get cohesion,” he said.
“You want to keep a test group together, but you want to be able to give guys opportunities to play their way into the Test as well. It’s a really fine balance.
“It’s a tough schedule, but we also believe it’s a schedule that’s going to accelerate our learning.”
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Blair said the All Blacks are bracing themselves for a massive challenge from the Springboks as well as the rest of the country’s citizens.
‘Us against the rest of South Africa’
“There’ll be, I’m not too sure, 80-ish of management and players and stuff, and it’ll be literally us against the rest of South Africa, so we’ll have to be tight,” he explained.
“There’ll be some testing times.”
Blair’s inclusion in new All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie’s coaching staff caught many people by surprise, but he revealed that he has been warmly welcomed into the three-time world champions’ ranks since he started in his new position in June.
“There have been so many special moments in the first month,” he said.
“Meeting the coaches and the players, the haka practice that we had, the first cap ceremony, Will (Jordan) getting the record for tries and loads and loads of other examples as well. It’s really special.”
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The All Blacks outscored Ireland by six tries to three on Saturday but despite an impressive attacking display, Blair feels there is still room for improvement in that department from his troops.
“Still some bits that we can do better, definitely,” he said.
“It sounds strange to say when you put 40 points on the board, but some really pleasing stuff, some good ball movement, some good decision making.”
Rennie will announce a 44-man All Blacks squad for the tour to South Africa in Auckland on July 27.
