All Blacks v Boks ‘loses its shine’
The All Blacks’ dominance is good for world rugby even if it has reduced the Springboks’ ability to beat them to just ‘‘the odd occasion’’.
That’s the view of former Springboks halfback Neil de Kock as he looks ahead to tonight’s test in Wellington where the All Blacks can wrap up another Rugby Championship title early.
‘‘Some critics have questioned whether the All Blacks’ dominance is healthy for world rugby. I believe the men in black are setting an unbelievable standard and changing the way teams are approaching the game, which can only be good for rugby,’’ De Kock, who played 10 tests for the Springboks from 2001 to 2003 before moving to Saracens in the UK, wrote in his column for SA Rugby Mag.
‘‘If the All Blacks are 20 per cent better than the next best team then so be it.
‘‘There is an aura around the All Blacks and I would never suggest that they shouldn’t be out-playing the rest because that is what every team aspires to.
‘‘I applaud the All Blacks because they are clearly doing something right and everyone would like to emulate them.
‘‘It’s always fantastic watching New Zealand play and is a good advert for anybody wanting to get into the game.’’
A casualty of the All Blacks’ dominance is one of the greatest rivalries in rugby, with tests against the Springboks being reduced to a New Zealand procession over the past decade.
De Kock admitted some of the shine had gone off the rivalry but saw that more as a challenge for the Springboks.
‘‘The Holy Grail for the Springboks, and any top team in the game today, is to reach the All Blacks’ level of consistency and rival them at some stage,’’ he wrote for SA Rugby Mag.
‘‘Can the Springboks beat the All Blacks on the odd occasion? I believe they can. I think the Boks are capable of defeating them in the odd test and perhaps this is the year that they can surprise them like they have done in the past.
The All Blacks are by no means unbeatable, but there is a bit of a distance to go to confidently say that the Boks are going to beat the All Blacks five out of 10 times.’’
De Kock described the All Blacks record at home as ‘‘freakish’’.
‘‘Any statistician in their right mind would suggest that there is no chance the Springboks are going to win this weekend. To be honest, I find it hard to believe that the Boks are going to turn everything around and beat the All Blacks in their own backyard. There is a much higher probability that they are going to be able to shock them in the reverse test in Pretoria [in October].’’
De Kock said there was no way Rassie Erasmus’ team would ‘‘roll over and die’’ in Wellington.
But they would need to raise their intensity levels. That included limiting their turnovers, getting their kicking game spot-on and upping their defensive game.
‘‘Whenever the Boks have beaten the All Blacks in the past – the last time was at Ellis Park in 2014 – their defence and kicking game has been top drawer.’’ The Counties Manukau Steelers will be looking for inspiration in the memory of Jonah Lomu when they play Wellington in Pukekohe today.
The Mitre 10 Cup clash doubles as the Jonah Lomu Memorial Trophy match, nearly three years on from the passing of the great All Blacks wing who played 29 times for Counties Manukau and on 21 occasions for Wellington.
The match will raise funds for Hospice, which recently cared for another Counties Manukau icon in former player and coach Mac McCallion with $1 of the $11 entry fee – to recognise the man who made the No 11 jersey so famous – going to the charity.
McCallion, who also assisted Graham Henry at the Blues, died after a battle with cancer in March.
Steelers coach Darryl Suasua said the day would be special for both teams. Focusing on getting a win over Wellington, as they look to build on recent victories against Hawke’s Bay and Southland, was the immediate priority.
‘‘It is a big occasion for us and Wellington, and it should be a fantastic occasion to celebrate a great Counties Manukau player. The best way we can pay tribute is to perform on the field,’’ Suasua said.
‘‘We know it will be a huge challenge, with Wellington the form attacking team of the competition.’’
The Steelers side has a settled look, with just two changes from the combination that prevailed against Southland. Orbyn Leger comes in for an injured Sam Furniss at centre while star winger Toni Pulu returns from injury to take his starting spot on the right wing.
Two players at either end of the Steelers spectrum will be looking to make a significant contribution off the bench, in veteran lock Sikeli Nabou, in what will be his 49th game for the province, while young sevens star Etene Nanai-Seturo will earn his second cap off the bench after an exciting debut as a replacement in Southland.