New Zealand captain Kieran Read has hammered home the message he does not want a repeat of last week’s start against Argentina when they play South Africa in Christchurch today.
The All Blacks are confident they can take the Springboks in the fourth-round Rugby Championship match and possibly wrap up the title if Australia beat Argentina in the other match.
However, Read said they do not want another slow start after slipping behind Argentina three times in the first 50 minutes of their last match before eventually taking command to pull off a convincing 57-22 victory.
He said they need a strong opening against a Springbok side looking to atone for consecutive losses against Argentina and Australia.
“We don’t really want to be focusing too much on them but if we can get a start in terms of our physicality and a bit of intensity in our own play then the scoreboard does funny things to teams,” Read said Friday as the All Blacks wrapped up training.
“If we can get a lead obviously that helps, but we know it will take a big effort against the Boks tomorrow night.”
The All Blacks are rated overwhelming favourites to extend their winning streak, which currently stands at 14, with the misfiring Springboks under attack for their woeful return of one win from three matches.
Former South Africa coach Nick Mallett has branded then a “B division” outfit, saying they were shown up last week by “a poor Australian side, lacking confidence”.
But Read did not accept the criticism, believing the Springboks would find an extra gear to face the All Blacks.
“This Springboks team will be pretty eager to prove some people wrong,” he said, adding the All Blacks remained confident.
“I don’t think I’ve ever not had that feeling in an All Blacks jersey. We go out every game, some games are a lot harder and tougher than others, but you always have confidence in your own ability as a group.
“Tomorrow is no different, but in saying that it doesn’t mean we don’t respect what the opposition is going to throw at us.”
The South Africans are in a transitional phase under new coach Allister Coetzee with several players out injured while only five of the team starting today faced the All Blacks in the World Cup semi-final last year.
Steve Hansen’s side won that game 20-18 before they clinched their third World Cup title a week later and since then both teams have lost several veterans as they look towards the 2019 tournament in Japan.
Coetzee’s team, however, have struggled and been subject to intense criticism from fans and media, particularly after they looked muddled in their 23-17 loss to the Wallabies in Brisbane, a week after they lost 26-24 to the Pumas in Salta.
Read was dismissive of the criticism, knowing that while the All Blacks have fashioned an almost 80% success rate in their 544 test matches since 1903, they have only a 59.89% winning rate against the Springboks, who would lift for the clash on Saturday.
“We know how tough the Springboks team is,” Read said.
“Even a wounded team that has come off a couple of losses, they will be doing everything they can to turn up so it’s a big test for us.”
All Blacks coach Hansen added he felt his side would need to be on their game from the opening whistle because it was only a matter of time before Coetzee’s plans would bed in.
“When you come to mould your team, sometimes it takes a little while to get them to where you need them to be because you are changing the style,” Hansen said.
“They will get it right one of these days soon and, when they do, look out.”