Nick Mallett believes the All Blacks have borrowed a page from the Springboks’ playbook under Dave Rennie ahead of next month’s four-Test showdown.
After watching New Zealand complete an unbeaten home Nations Championship campaign, Mallett says the biggest change has been the All Blacks’ willingness to attack through the middle before spreading the ball wide – an approach long associated with the Springboks.
“I must give Dave Rennie credit,” the former Bok coach said on the Talking Boks podcast. “I really thought he got his team to be so much more direct in terms of their ball-carriers. They really did carry well [against Ireland].
“It seems as though they’re following the South African template, which is very much go down the middle of the field prior to going out wide.”
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The comments come as anticipation builds for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, with South Africa and New Zealand emerging as the standout teams from the opening half of the Nations Championship.
While impressed by the All Blacks’ evolution, Mallett believes the Boks remain well equipped to meet the challenge thanks to the depth Rassie Erasmus has built in the pack.
“We’ve done really well in expanding our strength and depth [in the forward pack],” he said. “It seems any pack we put on the field can take on any team in the world – even the All Blacks.”
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There is, however, one area that concerns the former Bok coach.
With Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert managing injuries, Mallett believes the second row is the only position where South Africa could be vulnerable if their injury list grows.
“Lock is a problem,” he said. “If there is a problem against Argentina like Lood carrying an injury, Mostert carrying an injury, that could be a problem for us.
“We’ve got Ruan Nortjé who’s very athletic, Cobus Wiese who can do a job and Ruben van Heerden who can do a job. It would be the one position I’d be a bit nervous of if there are any more injuries than there are at the moment.”
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Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
The post Mallett: All Blacks copying Bok blueprint appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Nick Mallett believes the All Blacks have borrowed a page from the Springboks’ playbook under Dave Rennie ahead of next month’s four-Test showdown.
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