Captain Scott Barrett claims New Zealand are ready to go all-out with Springboks veteran playmakers Handre Pollard and Willy Le Roux starting on Saturday. Devin Hermanus.
The All Blacks will field a new back-three for the first-ever Rugby Championship match between the old rivals at the Cape Town Stadium, with versatile Will Jordan set to play fullback, while Sebu Rees and Mark Telea are set to line up on the wings.
They will be tasked with dealing with the aerial threat posed by Pollard and Le Roux, who are renowned for their accurate kicking and tactical acumen. Flyhalf Pollard has been promoted from the bench for the rematch with the Kiwis this week, as has Eben Etzebeth. Le Roux and Canan Moodie are also straight into the starting 15 at No. 15 and No. 14 respectively.
“No two Test matches are the same and South Africa will have adjusted their strategy for tomorrow,” Barrett told reporters after captaining the side at Athlone Stadium on Friday. “They (Pollard and Le Roux) have a great kicking game and it could be a game of aerial play and kicking battles, so our back three have to be ready for that.”
Barrett also knows the tall Etzebeth poses a threat alongside Ruan Nortje in the second line. “Eben is one of their key players and we need to be able to pressure them, especially on set pieces,” Barrett said. “Hopefully, we’ll get some results.”
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After losing in Johannesburg last week, the Kiwis were focused on finishing strongly this week, where they were 10 points ahead in the final 20 minutes. Barrett stressed the importance of staying focused. “We’ve stressed that, finishing has been a big focus for us.
“It’s about turning it on and making it difficult for them (the Boks) to get into our 22 because South Africa are exploiting that.”
The mood in the All Blacks camp remains determined after the defeat at Ellis Park, as the team looks to avoid a rare four-game losing streak in the long-running rivalry between the two sides.
“There have been a lot of injuries since last week and we want to turn that around,” Barrett said.
One of the key changes to the All Blacks’ starting 15 is the inclusion of Wallace Sititi at blindside flanker to replace the injured Ethan Blackladder.
Barrett is confident in Sititi’s ability. “There’s not a lot that’s changed for us, we’ve got the best team to do this job. Wallace has been great, he’s brought a lot of energy to the (blindside flanker) position and we’re looking forward to seeing what he does tomorrow.”
As for his younger brother Bowden, who is on the bench, Barrett supported his brother’s ability to make an impact. “He’s a little disappointed that he’s not in the starting 15, but he’ll come off the bench and do his job. There’s no doubt about it.”
Photo: Franco Arland/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
