All Blacks attack coach Mike Blair said it will be them against the “rest of South Africa,” but he’s confident the tourists can make history against the Springboks.
New Zealand beat Ireland 40-21 on Saturday night to extend their unbeaten run at Eden Park and end the first leg of the Nations Championship with three wins from three games.
It was their best performance under coach Dave Rennie, with the hosts running in six tries off the back of some high-tempo and expansive rugby. The All Blacks’ attack was much more accurate in Auckland, though Blair said there’s still plenty of room for improvement.
“Still some bits that we can do better, definitely. 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.”
Blair said the All Blacks need to be better at finishing when they have opponents under pressure.
“Once we get into the 22, I think we’ve got some growth there.
“You need variety. You’ve got to have the ability to play through a team, but also to manipulate a team.”
South Africa also has three wins from three to start the year, thumping England, Scotland and Wales, while rotating a lot of their squad.
Blair is adamant the All Blacks can win the upcoming four-test series against the World Champions, which starts next month.
“I believe so,” Blair said.
“We’re also conscious of how impressive South Africa has been in these 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 said a busy schedule, in which the tourists will also play four non-test matches against South African sides, the Stormers, Bulls, Lions and Sharks, will affect how they prepare the side.
“Our challenge is how we get the guys rugby, how we get cohesion. 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.”
It’s the first full tour to South Africa by the All Blacks since 1996, when New Zealand famously won their first ever series in the country.
Blair said it will be a massive challenge to claim a series victory in the rugby-mad nation.
“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. There’ll be some testing times.”
Within those times, though, there will be some moments to cherish for Scotsman Blair, who said he has been warmly welcomed into the team since starting in June.
“There have been so many special moments in the first month. Meeting the coaches and the players, the haka practice that we had, the first cap ceremony, Will getting the record for tries and loads and loads of other examples as well. It’s really special.”
The All Blacks’ 44-man squad for South Africa will be named on Monday, 27 July, in Auckland, with ten players to be added to the current group, and Blair said the squad has already been picked.
