Former Springbok lock Mark Andrews believes the Springboks and All Blacks could be inseparable when their four-Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series concludes.
Andrews, who played in all five Tests between the rivals in 1996, expects a fiercely contested series and believes South Africa’s scrum could prove decisive.
“The All Blacks are a side that can beat us any day of the week and so can we,” Andrews told News24.
“The interesting part is about which side can do it four weeks in a row, but I’m not expecting either side to win four matches in a row.
“I have a terrible feeling that it could be a 2-2 draw.”
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Andrews also believes the series will give Rassie Erasmus an opportunity to assess players under the pressure of Test rugby, particularly with the 2027 World Cup looming.
“He’s going to roll the dice because if you can get into a World Cup playoff game and you want to know if you have a player who can live in that environment, the only time you can find that out is across the next games,” he said.
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Andrews believes the Boks’ emotional connection with South African supporters gives them another advantage.
“Whenever a team plays for more than just a result, they’ll have an edge over their opponents,” he said.
“That’s something Rassie’s been able to instil in the players, in that when they run onto the field, they’re playing for a nation.”
Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
The post Ex-Bok calls Greatest Rivalry series stalemate appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Former Springbok lock Mark Andrews believes the Springboks and All Blacks could be inseparable when their four-Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series concludes.
The post Ex-Bok calls Greatest Rivalry series stalemate appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
