Former All Black Jeff Wilson believes New Zealand will only succeed on their Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour if they stop trying to beat the Springboks at their own game.
The All Blacks arrived in South Africa this week for a seven-match tour that begins against the Stormers on Friday before clashes with the Sharks, Vodacom Bulls and Lions, followed by three Tests against the Springboks. The two sides will then meet in a fourth and final Test in the United States.
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With the tourists facing almost two months on the road, Wilson says they must rediscover the identity that made the All Blacks the world’s dominant side for so long.
“I think we’ve gotten back to who we are,” he said on The Breakdown.
“For years, what we’ve maybe done for probably the last 10 years, is beating other countries at what they’re good at – their superpowers.
“We’ve tried to physically dominate the South Africans, out-flair France and out-structure Ireland.
“We’re not going to beat them at their superpowers. We have to be great at what we’ve done so well in the past. That is speed, conditioning, skill and putting the opposition under pressure and making sure we go out saying, ‘You try to stop us,’ rather than us focussing on stopping them.”
Former All Blacks hooker James Parsons believes the provincial fixtures will provide New Zealand’s younger players with a valuable introduction to South African rugby before the Test series begins.
The Stormers in particular are looking to field a side featuring some explosive youngsters mixed in with some established URC players, and will aim to provide a stern examination for the tourists’ fringe players.
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Parsons believes the atmosphere surrounding those matches could prove just as challenging as the rugby itself.
“The Stormers and the Bulls were the most clinical in the URC,” he said.
“There’s a number of players who’ve represented the Springboks and there’s a number of next-generation Springboks who’ve come through that system.
“They’ll be hard opposition.
“I think the biggest growth area for them will be the atmosphere.
“I think sometimes it can be overwhelming. The fans will be screaming and shouting all sorts of abuse and I think being able to deal with that and get composed at least will give them a warm-up taste for when they get into a Test match.”
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The post Goldie urges All Blacks to rediscover their DNA appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Former All Black Jeff Wilson believes New Zealand will only succeed on their Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour if they stop trying to beat the Springboks at their own game.
The post Goldie urges All Blacks to rediscover their DNA appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
