Former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton says this current All Blacks team has the set-piece prowess and “mongrel” to beat the Springboks in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
The Boks swept aside England, Scotland and Wales in the opening half of the Nations Championship, while New Zealand also went unbeaten with wins over France, Italy and Ireland.
All Blacks boss Dave Rennie is set to announce his final 44-man squad for the eight-match tour to South Africa on Monday. A 43-man Bok group will assemble in Joburg on Sunday to begin preparations for the Argentina Test on 8 August before turning their attention to the four-Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
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Speaking on The Big Jim Show podcast, Hamilton believes New Zealand are the only side capable of troubling the world champions.
“How good is this Greatest Rivalry going to be? New Zealand unbeaten, South Africa unbeaten. Both teams are about to find out who is the greatest team under the Greatest Rivalry umbrella,” he said.
“New Zealand is the only team on the planet that can beat South Africa at the minute. I actually think that the All Blacks can beat South Africa in one Test match, just in one. That isn’t to say that they’re going to go there and win a series.”
Hamilton pointed to New Zealand’s forward pack as a key strength, praising forwards coach Jason Ryan for a dominant scrum and improved lineout drive, which he felt was on full display against Ireland and opened up strike opportunities out wide.
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He also backed New Zealand’s physicality and mentality to match the Boks up front.
“They are tightening things up. They’ve been a lot more confrontational around pick and go. They’ve got big athletes up front,” Hamilton said.
“I’m actually looking at some of the players that they’ve got up front. They’ve got a few nasty f**kers as well, like Luke Jacobson. He’s going out there trying to bang people.
“And that’s what you need against South Africa, you need that gnarliness, all the buzzwords that you want to throw around – the physicality, the mongrel – and I think the All Blacks are fully prepped now to go down to South Africa.”
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Hamilton also raised concerns over player fatigue within the Bok camp, despite the long-awaited returns of Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi, pointing out that several stars who featured heavily in the URC, such as Damian Willemse, have had a longer season than their Kiwi rivals.
“I know New Zealand has played in Super Rugby and the Nations Championship but South Africa have had a long season, a very very long season. I just wonder how Rassie will balance that out and set up his team to play the All Blacks.”
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Photo: Craig Butland/MB Media/Getty Images
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Former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton says this current All Blacks team has the set-piece prowess and “mongrel” to beat the Springboks in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
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