Flanker Luke Jacobson wants the All Blacks to sharpen up against the Sharks on Tuesday, with the quick turnaround providing a chance to fix issues exposed by the Stormers.
New Zealand were pushed by the Stormers before pulling away for a 38-21 win in Cape Town last Friday, with their scrum and discipline among the areas that came under pressure.
Jacobson was speaking as the second All Black entrusted with leading the team on the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour, after Patrick Tuipulotu captained the side against the Stormers.
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“There are a few tidy ups from the Stormers game that we’re looking to impose,” he said.
“It’s an awesome challenge and opportunity for us to really dial in on maybe some things that didn’t go as well for us in the last game.
“We know how the South African teams play, they know their game, they’ve got their mauls, their scrums. There’s going to be upfront battles, so we’re going to have to be ready to play that.
“I thought there were some lessons and it was a great taste of what we were going to get on this tour. I think we’ve made some good adjustments.”
The All Blacks also conceded multiple scrum penalties and picked up three yellow cards against the Stormers. Jacobson expects the Sharks to again test them with the high ball.
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“The top level of South African rugby has a really good kicking game, a really good chasing game. I don’t think we’re going to get anything different to what we saw last week in that area.”
Rain is forecast for Tuesday, but Jacobson believes New Zealand can maintain their attacking approach.
“It’s just a huge onus on the individual skill set and backing yourself. We’re professional athletes; this is what we’re trained for. We back ourselves to be able to perform under any conditions.”
After the Sharks clash, the All Blacks travel to Pretoria to face the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday.
“It’s something completely different that none of us have ever done before but I think that’s the cool thing about it. It’s continuous,” he added.
“There’s no time to stop, sit back and think.”
Photo: Roger Sedres/Gallo Images
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Flanker Luke Jacobson wants the All Blacks to sharpen up against the Sharks on Tuesday, with the quick turnaround providing a chance to fix issues exposed by the Stormers.
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