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New Zealand All Blacks' Jerome Kaino, left, is tackled by South Africa's Bryan Habana during their international rugby test at Westpac Stadium, in Wellington, New Zealand, Saturday, July 5, 2008. AP Photo/NZPA, Ross Setford
Not for the first time this season, the All Blacks enter a Test match under pressure. They face a World Champion Springbok team that has local media and fans gushing rapture over a Bokke that appears to be destined for greatness.
In fact, if the South Africans win, it will be the first time since 1998 that they have beaten their old foes twice in a calendar year.
It will also be the only time the All Blacks have lost more than two Test matches in a year under Graham Henry.
With Bulls first five Morné Steyn brought into the starting team, it is the strongest South African side that could be selected. With no disrespect to Schalk Burger, the team looks far more complete with the find of 2009 in the side, Heinrich Brussow.
But there are still caveats that the Springboks – World Champions and the IRB’s number one ranked side – must conquer before their metamorphosis into not only the best team on the planet, but to give credence to their fiercely proud supporters opinion.
First, they need to win the Tri Nations.
To do this, they will need to conquer a glaring weakness in the South Africans resume in the professional era – to win away from home.
Since 1996, the Springboks have won only four matches of 28 travelling to New Zealand or Australia. They are still to leave the comforts of home this year, and away wins in the Tri Nations can be championship sealers.
Secondly, they simply must, in the deep shadows of the stands of their fortress of Kings Park, beat this All Black team. For if the Springboks are as good as we are being led to believe, and equally if the All Blacks are as poor, then this should be a fait accompli.
New Zealand in many respects is a team that seems to not have switched the launch button so far this season, looking strangely out of sorts.
Some statistics would have us believe that this is a woeful All Black team, scoring the least amount of tries in their opening five matches of any opening run in the professional era.
Never mind the fact that they hosted probably the strongest Northern Hemisphere team (Les Bleus) seen in the South since Martin Johnson’s England toured.
Other descriptive terminology has been used.
Injury ridden doesn’t really apply now, as Dan Carter and Ali Williams are the only first choice players missing, and the former will likely be available for the All Blacks next match in Sydney.
Rebuilding is being used as well. Perhaps they are, but only Stephen Donald, Isaac Ross and Owen Franks are new faces to the starting XV, and there are still 544 test caps in the run on team (against 605 for the Springboks).
This is still almost the same team that 13 of 15 test matches last year and won everything on offer.
So what is wrong?
The good news for All Black supporters is that they couldn’t have played much worse at Bloemfontein.
Despite the fact that some sources believe that they were lucky not to get beaten by more (courtesy of some wayward goal kicking) they outscored the Springboks 13-3 in the third quarter of the match, and were but four point behinds and dominating before some poor decisions led to Jaque Fourie scoring a try and closing out the match.
Add to this the perplexing decision to not contest line outs; and really only Stephen Donald and Conrad Smith having strong games, and one could argue that the Springboks really didn’t so much win the game as much as the All Blacks lost it.
But this is not entirely fair.
The South African pack, led by new fetcher Brussow, was fantastic. They ruled the air, dominated the collision, and had at least parity in the scrums.
The only concern for South Africa could be that again, as it was against the Lions, their backline was not a key factor in their control of the game. However, successful Springbok teams do not rely on style or flashy play.
If the All Blacks do suddenly throw the switch and re-discover their running, up tempo game, then it could be a very different result.
Let us not forget that this is still an All Black team, and are defending a Tri Nations title they have won four years running.
Equally their pack, led by what is the most experienced loose forward trio in All Black history, is capable of gaining equivalence with the fabled South African forwards.
If this is done, and the Springbok power game can be nullified, then suddenly the inquisition may begin for the World Champions.
Durban has been a happy hunting ground for the All Blacks, winning three of their last four matches.
For the Springboks, they will look to draw inspiration from their first Kings Park clash in 1928, where they defeated New Zealand by their biggest ever margin, 17-0.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.