Damian McKenzie was buzzing after a special win at Ellis Park, but the playmaker has warned the All Blacks to expect the Springboks to throw everything at them next week.
New Zealand clinched a 33-16 win over the Springboks in the first Test of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series on Saturday, before travelling to Cape Town Stadium to renew hostilities.
“It’s extremely satisfying, but we know there are three more Tests,” McKenzie was quick to stress post-match in Johannesburg.
“We’ve got to keep our feet firmly on the ground; Test rugby is not easy, and to win over here at Ellis Park is no mean feat.
“We’ve got another game on Tuesday against the Lions, and then a Test down in Cape Town next Saturday. South Africa has got a team that won’t just sit back – they’ll throw everything at us next week.”
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The fleet-footed fullback praised his forward pack for standing up to South Africa’s renowned physicality on the Highveld.
“For our boys and our bench to come on and lock down the scrum, and our lineout time was good, it’s pleasing as a back to see that and potentially have a penalty advantage or a free kick at it,” he said.
“South Africa pride themselves on their set-piece, so to be able to match them tonight and get some reward there was extremely pleasing from a backs point of view.”
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The 31-year-old was equally honest about where the All Blacks need to improve, particularly under the high ball.
“They’ve got a great kicking game, and we didn’t diffuse as many as we would have liked. We probably needed to improve a bit going into the series.
“It’s a real strength of theirs – they’ve got guys who are great in the air. We’ll have a look at it.”
Trailing 13-12 at half-time on Saturday, McKenzie revealed the message from head coach Dave Rennie during the break.
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“The South African boys threw a lot at us in that first half, so to be only down by one point was quite pleasing,” he added.
“It was about staying patient, trusting our game plan, and getting back into our work. The lungs start to hurt late in the second half, but there are still opportunities to play.
“We play with a lot of optimism so we had great opportunities, and we were able to do that. The tries, the ground, the opponent, the occasion … it’s all special.”
The 78-cap McKenzie also reflected on the magnitude of the hard-fought victory: “In terms of spectacle and the arena to play in front of, this is as good as it gets. Ellis Park against South Africa, the world’s best … It’s just a start.”
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
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Damian McKenzie was buzzing after a special win at Ellis Park, but the playmaker has warned the All Blacks to expect the Springboks to throw everything at them next week.
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