Head coach Dave Rennie reckons the All Blacks have “a lot more” in the tank after they blanked the Sharks in Durban on Tuesday.
New Zealand scored eight tries to thrash the Sharks at a rain-soaked Kings Park, leading 14-0 at half-time before running riot in the second half to claim a 54-0 win.
Rennie picked a new-look side for the second match of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour, and the unbeaten tourists now head to Pretoria to face the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday.
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“We’re probably a bit frustrated; in the first 40 we gave away a lot of penalties early and struggled to get our hands on the ball,” Rennie said post-match. “When we did, we looked good, but we didn’t build enough pressure for long enough.
“The second half was excellent – we kicked really well, were a lot more clinical and continued to defend well. They kicked a lot of ball, which we generally dealt with well.”
He stressed the importance of game time for the squad ahead of the first Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park next Saturday.
“The conditions made it challenging, but I thought overall we did a pretty good job there, on the back of a solid defensive effort.
“Look, we’ve got a lot more in us, and we can’t afford to start games like we have in the last two here, so that’ll be a focus for us. But a really positive last 40.
“We’ve got a lot more players who have had good game time,” Rennie added. “There’s good competition for spots, and that’s really important heading into the [Joburg] Test.”
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On fullback Damian McKenzie’s injury scare and centre Billy Proctor’s replacement, the Kiwi boss explained: “Damian twisted his ankle when he came down from a high ball in the first minute.
“He was running around, and we had it strapped, but it was a bit ginger so we decided to play it safe. He’s not too bad; we’d expect him to be fine for the first Test.
“We decided we wouldn’t make a decision on Billy’s replacement until after tonight’s game. If we got a few more injuries, that might decide which direction we go.”
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Skipper Luke Jacobson praised the All Blacks’ success, highlighting “a few puddles out there”.
“It tested the skill set, but I was proud of how we were able to execute in that second half,” he noted. “It’s enjoyable footy as well; you take the opportunity to play in something like that and just have fun.”
Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
The post Rennie sounds warning to SA rivals appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Head coach Dave Rennie reckons the All Blacks have “a lot more” in the tank after they blanked the Sharks in Durban on Tuesday.
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