Codie Taylor has welcomed the return of All Blacks skipper Ardie Savea as the hooker prepares to lead his country in Saturday’s clash against the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus.
Taylor, who will captain New Zealand after recovering from a calf injury, spoke in Pretoria on Friday ahead of the third match of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
Savea has linked up with the squad after missing the start of the Kiwis’ seven-match tour of South Africa to recuperate for the four upcoming Tests against the Springboks.
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“It’s great. He’s our skip, and he holds a lot of mana in the group. To have a leader like him back is important, and I know he’s keen to get out on the rugby field again,” he told reporters. “I’m sure he’ll do his part next week and get back into it.”
Taylor, too, he’s excited to get going this week, having watched his teammates kick off their travels with wins over the Stormers and Sharks.
“These games are all about getting an opportunity to get out there, have a bit of a run, shake off the cobwebs and experience some South African rugby.”
On facing the Bulls, who on Friday added Bok forwards Johan Grobbelaar and Elrigh Louw to their bench, Taylor expects another physical contest.
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“They’ve got big boys up front, they back their set-piece and they back their kicking game,” he noted. “Physically, it’s going to be very demanding up front.
“The scrum is something South Africa pride themselves on, right from the national team down to their club sides, so we’ve got to turn up.”
Regarding the confidence after Tuesday’s 54-0 rout of the Sharks at a rain-soaked Kings Park, and on the conditions on the Highveld, Taylor added: “It took a while to get into that game, but once we did, we played some great rugby.
“We’re expecting the aerial battle to be right up there in these club games as well as in the Test, so it gives us a chance to experience that in all conditions.
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“Hopefully tomorrow is a bit like this – blue skies … but it’ll be dry.”
The veteran rake said the All Blacks are building momentum but know the world champion Boks will be tougher.
“We’re under no illusion that South Africa will be on a whole other level. We just have to keep chipping away, and I think we’ll be right once we get into the Test.”
Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images
The post Codie channelling Ardie’s mana for Bulls duel appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Codie Taylor has welcomed the return of All Blacks skipper Ardie Savea as the hooker prepares to lead his country in Saturday’s clash against the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus.
The post Codie channelling Ardie’s mana for Bulls duel appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
