The All Blacks have been handed a potential cheat code for unlocking the Springboks’ rush defence, with former captain Kieran Read pointing to Argentina’s strategy in Buenos Aires.
Felipe Contepomi’s Los Pumas lost 17-10 a fortnight ago but created opportunities out wide, using chips and cross-field kicks to expose space behind the Boks’ defensive line. Argentina also led 10-3 for much of the first half.
Read believes head coach Dave Rennie and New Zealand must be prepared to move the ball quickly and exploit the space available on the fringes when the teams meet in Saturday’s Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry opener.
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“Even though they [the Boks] didn’t put anything on the table in Argentina, Argentina showed us exactly how we should try to beat the Springboks,” the ex-No 8 said on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby: Australia & New Zealand podcast.
“They found space on the edge. The South Africans defend between the 15s and they’re not going to go away from that DNA.
“There is space there; you’ve got to be willing to trust the pass and trust your depth to be able to get the ball there and create opportunities off the back of that because they will scramble and you might only make a 10m break down that sideline, but if you can get quick ball off that, it creates opportunities elsewhere.
“So, I think that the Argies showed us a great blueprint: you get a quick ruck ball in the middle of the ruck, they don’t have a sweeper, they don’t play a traditional nine – it’s on.”
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Photo: Juan Jose Gasparini/Gallo Images
The post Reado: Pumas show Kiwis ‘edge’ over Boks appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
The All Blacks have been handed a potential cheat code for unlocking the Springboks’ rush defence, with former captain Kieran Read pointing to Argentina’s strategy in Buenos Aires.
The post Reado: Pumas show Kiwis ‘edge’ over Boks appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
