Can Boks outwit All Blacks?

Winner will gain physiological boost

RUGBY fans will be treated to a mouth-watering pre-World Cup appetiser on Saturday morning (9.30am, SA time) when the All Blacks host the Springboks in Wellington in a rematch of the dramatic encounter ten months ago at the same venue. The Boks won that match, of course, by two points in a thrilling encounter and then a few weeks later the All Blacks beat the South Africans in an equally pulsating match in Pretoria, also by a slender two points. But this Rugby Championship match is not just about the Kiwis setting the record straight after that rare loss for them on home soil, there is a far more pressing matter on the agenda for both teams in that these two rugby giants contest the opening round of the Rugby World Cup in Japan on September 21. Grouped together in Pool B, the winner of that match is almost certain to win the Group and proceed to an easier quarter-final –the rest of Group B comprised minnows Namibia, Canada and, to a lesser degree, Italy. While Bok coach Rassie Erasmus, pictured top left, and Kiwi counterpart Steve Hansen won’t be giving everything away on Saturday, possibly in terms of selection and certainly game plan, there is no question that there is psychological ammunition to be won, especially for the South Africans. A second consecutive victory for the Boks in the New Zealand capital would further diminish the aura of the defending world champions and cast self doubt into their ranks. The importance of this game for the Boks was underlined by Erasmus’ decision to send 14 key players to Wellington last week, leaving a largely experimental team to play the Wallabies in Johannesburg. Straight after the Boks had beaten the Australians, 19 more players were on a plane to New Zealand – the full group of 33 players will then stay on in Wellington to prepare for the Boks’ final Championship match, against Argentina on August 10 in Salta. Erasmus said sending an advance party last week would give the Boks their best chance of replicating last year’s win, as he had the same travel plans for the players last year, which ensured jet lag was overcome. “The good thing is the bulk of the guys who’ll face New Zealand will be used to the time zones, they’ll be acclimatised and ready to play. They’ll be fresh,” the coach said. But it is going to be tough, as always. They’re the number one team, and the reason why we’ve done what we have, is proof of how big this match is for us. “If we didn’t send guys over early and if we didn’t fly out on Saturday night after beating Australia, we wouldn’t stand a chance. There has been very little between the Boks and All Blacks in the last three games; just two points have separated them in each – at Newlands in the 2017 match, in Wellington and at Loftus. “They’re at home and we know what that means. They’ll be waiting for us. We know they also only sent half a full team to Argentina last weekend, so it’s going to be a big one.”