Sean Fitzpatrick believes the All Blacks will be “desperate” to beat the Springboks at Eden Park on Saturday.
The legendary All Blacks captain, speaking on the DSPN podcast with Martin Devlin, said he was confident in the direction Scott Robertson’s side is heading, despite their defeat in Buenos Aires.
“It’s a two-Test series [against the Boks], that’s how I’d look at it, and we’re coming off a loss against Argentina, so we will be desperate for sure,” said the former hooker. “There’s a bit of history at Eden Park, and we feel comfortable there. We haven’t lost there since I was captain in 1994, believe it or not.”
Fitzpatrick also praised the development of New Zealand’s young forwards such as Fabian Holland and Tamaiti Williams, and compared current captain Scott Barrett’s growth to his own early struggles in leadership.
He added that the Boks’ recent struggles could play into the All Blacks’ hands.
“The South Africans have got their backs to the wall, they’re looking a bit tired, but I’m sure at Eden Park we’ll see two teams that are desperate for a win.”
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Fitzpatrick further highlighted the similarities between Bok and All Blacks supporters, saying both nations demand wins from their teams.
“When the Springboks lost to Australia after going 22-0 up, their fans were on their case straight away,” he said. “That’s why the All Blacks and South Africa year in, year out, are so good – because the fans demand it.”
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The 62-year-old remains bullish about New Zealand’s long-term prospects under Robertson.
“I want the All Blacks to win every game, nothing has changed, but I appreciate we need to develop talent. The Hollands of the world have come through a pathway, and that’s why we’re in a good place.”
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Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
