Cane says ‘ingredients are there’
The group’s belief
in ourselves, and what we’re trying to achieve, is very
high. Sam Cane
All Blacks captain Sam Cane has backed his team-mates to turn around their dismal form after a 26-10 loss at the hands of South Africa in Mbombela that leaves New Zealand with only one win in their last six matches.
The reversal in the Rugby Championship opener comes off the back of a home series defeat at the hands of Ireland last month and has increased the pressure on coach Ian Foster with little more than a year to go to the Rugby World Cup in France.
The All Blacks were comfortably beaten by the South Africans and scored their only try with the hosts short-handed after Kurt-lee Arendse was sent off in the 75th minute for a dangerous tackle on Beauden Barrett while the fiveeighth was in mid-air.
“The belief is really strong within the group,” Cane said. “Even with five minutes to go, when the red card came, there was genuine belief.
“It’s only something you can feel out on the field . . . the group’s belief in ourselves, and what we’re trying to achieve, is very high and when you’ve got that and an attitude to
work hard, it’s a good recipe.
“We’ve just got to stick at it and it will turn. If we didn’t have those things in place, I’d be pretty worried, but the right ingredients are there.”
Calls have grown for the dismissal of Foster and wholesale changes to the squad following the demoralising loss, with Cane acknowledging the All Blacks face a major task when
they take on the world champions
again at Ellis Park this weekend.
“It’s one of the great challenges in test footy, playing South Africa over here, and the hostility of the crowd and the noise,” he said.
“If anything, and speaking on behalf of a lot of the boys, you love that ‘backs against the wall, us versus them’ and the stadium situation.”
Meanwhile Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber was pleased with his side’s improved accuracy but says they are “not the finished article” after their biggest victory over New Zealand in 94 years.
It was a vast improvement on the stuttering performances against Wales last month, where they won the home series 2-1, but failed to impress overall, something Nienaber acknowledged.
“I don’t think we’re a finished product yet. We did a good assessment after the Wales series and built on the stuff that we felt needed to be improved,” he told reporters.
“We’ve always wanted to win every single game, but for us, it’s also about improving on the goals that we’ve set out for ourselves.”
The teams meet again in a second Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Sunday morning (NZT).