With the top-ranked rugby side chasing revenge against the world champions, the stage is set for the “ultimate Test” when the All Blacks and Springboks open the Tri-Nations series on Saturday.
The All Blacks are still fuming after losing all three Tests against their arch-rivals last year when they relinquished the Tri-Nations crown they had held for four years.
The Test also carries intriguing Eden Park subplots with the All Blacks unbeaten in their past 20 Tests at the stadium, where South Africa have not won since 1937.
It will also be the venue for next year’s World Cup final.
“The All Blacks Test has always been the ultimate Test,” Springboks captain John Smit said.
“It’s that Test match you look forward to and the butterflies are flapping around.”
The All Blacks can ill afford a fourth consecutive loss to South Africa as they pit the run-at-all-costs style of play they have pinned their faith in against the muscle power and kicking combination that has served the Springboks well.
Although the All Blacks have tried to sidestep talk of “revenge”, captain Richie McCaw admitted at their final training run on Friday of a need to set the record straight.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say there’s a little bit in there,” McCaw conceded.
“For those of us who were there last year it was a bit frustrating that we didn’t perform the way we would like, so we want to do that this week.”
He said the All Blacks were happy with the way they played on their end-of-year tour last year and in their first three Tests this year.
But against the Springboks he expects to “see where we are at”.
There are four changes to the All Blacks side which started their most recent Test against Wales with Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith returning from injury along with the recalled Joe Rokocoko and Owen Franks.
Smit played down concerns about the Eden Park hoodoo, pointing to how his world champion side had notched up their first ever wins against the All Blacks in Dunedin and Hamilton in the past two years.
He said frequent trips to New Zealand by South African sides in the Super 14 competition had helped them break through historical barriers.
“Any kind of away win helps. It creates a belief inside you that you can perhaps do it again.”
Looming in the background is the psychological advantage to the winner with the World Cup just over a year away.
Smit said the South Africans realised it would be harder to defend the Cup than it was to win it and to beat the All Blacks now at Eden Park would be a step in the right direction.
“Any win is important and it’s going to be a long journey before we are able to pack our bags and get here (for the World Cup) before the squad is chosen and before the task is delivered,” Smit said.
“So there’s a lot of work to be done and if you say to me ‘does one win in Auckland in 2010 make that possible?’, no, it doesn’t make it possible, but it does help the journey.”
Teams
New Zealand: Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Joe Rokocoko, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (capt), Jerome Kaino, Tom Donnelly, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock. Res: Corey Flynn, Ben Franks, Sam Whitelock, Liam Messam, Piri Weepu, Aaron Cruden, Richard Kahui.South Africa: Zane Kirchner, Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Morne Steyn, Ricky Januarie; Pierre Spies, Francois Louw, Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Jannie du Plessis, John Smit (capt), Gurthro Steenkamp. Res: Chiliboy Ralepelle, BJ Botha, Andries Bekker, Danie Rossouw, Ruan Pienaar, Butch James, Gio Aplon.
JJ
Guest
From what I seen the above poster was vilified for holding fast to his opinion, I think it wouldn't be too ungracious of some here to admit they were very wrong. But it seems quite clearly this is below some people. Instead of admitting they were wrong it is much easier to come in and post a provocative statement?
JJ
Guest
Much like the foolish lot who wrote off the All Blacks before this match Jason
Red Rooster
Guest
You are right - I am a passionate Queenslander as you are a Kiwi (Blues/Highlanders not sure) - we wont agree so lets move onto something more interesting
darwin stubby
Guest
that would be Wayne Smith the queenlander then would it ... gave up reading that red tinged waffle years ago .. I'll bet any money your like the other great queenland cheerleader, Greg Martin, will try and pump the same line later this week on the rugby club ... doesn't make it fact look not matter what way you want to look at it the Reds did nothing different to what the Blues did more emphatically the weekend before ... or for that mater what the highlanders dished up the previous season .... to try and imply that Henry looked to that Brisbane night and a light bulb flashed on in his head is to completely ignore how the AB's were attempting to play the game last year, culminating in the final French test ...
Red Rooster
Guest
Darwin - have a read of the Australian this morning - Wayne Smith makes some interesting points
Peter K
Guest
Botha the thug got what he deserved! Should of been 9 months though not 9 weeks.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
Yes well Botha won't be the best player in the world for 2010, like he possibly was last year, now that he's suspended for nine weeks.
jiggles
Guest
sam I am commenting on the reds v bulls match as I didn't see the Blues v Bulls match, and it is never wise to comment on things you do not see.
Socboy
Guest
Exactly Sam, Another point I also referred to last week and was absolutely shouted down for. Also if you watched the pre match they also talked about using the Blues template
johnny-boy
Guest
Mr Saunders - it may not be that the Springboks are so much bigger - they're pretty much all big boys at this level - even Dean Mumm and the percentage difference between 110kg and 105kgs aint much - especially if one is conditioned explosive muscle and the other is "padding" - but the Boks are obviously dumber - which is why they resort to thuggery when they can't get their way and can't handle having to make multiple decisions at speed. It increases their fatigue levels dramatically and you could see in their faces the Boks were knackered by half time. It scrambles their decison making. A philosophy used by the Crusaders effectively for many years Make them panic. Anxiety is tiring. Great performance by the All Blacks. Sitting back and watching them monster the 'mythological' Boks is almost better than sex. Almost ! Luckily for the Wallabies, All Black performances like this are usually few and far between, given their biggest World Cup failure ever coaches and it's rare for the ball to go almost perfectly all one way for 1 side all night. Eden Park is an ominous fortress. Remember this Wallabies ! One of the keys seems to be to not try and set the game alight in the 1st 15 minutes. Solid intensity is all that is needed. Let the other team make the nervous cock-ups. The All Blacks nearly made this mistake but recovered. I was worried for them when they scored 1st not once but twice. But no relaxing this time. Revenge and fear was enough motivation to avoid metal relaxation. I hope the Wallabies are terrified.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Kev's not the best player in the world but he's having a great season so far. I think it's interesting how the new interpretations have effected the forward game. You can see how important strong ball carrying forwards are. I was surprised by how little the Springboks ran the ball through their forwards. It seemed like they were trying to unleash their backline but the All Black defense was forcing them to run predictable lines. Botha's season has been derailed by injuries and suspensions so far, but I think he needs to remodel his game a bit under the new interpretations.
Socboy
Guest
Oh how wrong you all were, Brad and Kaino were all over Bakkies, whilst he was on the field of course
Terry Kidd
Guest
I don't think Bakkies, with his past record will play another 3N game this year ... and I agree he is a thug
darwin stubby
Guest
my memory of the 2nd '08 test was one of being reasonably comfortable going into the last 10 mins - the AB's were dominating, were up on the scoreboard and the boks didn't look like they were going to do anything special ... a freak try late in the game stole it ... it was hardly a convincing win .... Sure next week is going to be different ... anyone who has done that long haul trip SA - NZ will know how much it takes out of you .... but if anybody should know it's the boks - why they didn't arrive earlier for what they must have known was going to be a massive battle is beyond me ... but in saying that NZ were fantastic last night - I can't see the boks improving that much in 7 days to knock over this team ... it'll be closer but I'd expect the kiwis to be on 9 points by this time next week.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
I don't think anybody is suggesting that McKenzie reinvented the wheel this year, rather that one Test match, namely New Zealand versus South Africa, resembled the pattern of the Reds/Bulls game this year.
darwin stubby
Guest
... or the NZ / France game at the end of last year or the Highlander / Bulls game from the previous S14 .... to say that the Reds are the new template that everybody is following is rubbish - it's more that MacKenzie has been watching everybody else and adapted his team to play a similar style
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
I think most Australians refer to the Bulls v Reds game because they're Australians, it involved an Australian team, and it's a game Australians were likely to have seen. Perhaps Pat Lam got his ideas on how to play the Boks from the Lions series, where the Lions displayed a real capacity to handle the Boks basic tactics. I know that series was lost 1-2, but I really think the Lions could have won it 3-0. That's sure to annoy a few Bok supporters, but the first Test was one the Lions could have won, the second Test was one they should have won, and the third test is the one they did win. Many Northern Hemisphere people looked toward the Lions in suggesting how to counter-attack the Boks dominance.
Sam Taulelei
Guest
I'm curious to know why it is that Aussies always refer to the Reds v Bulls game as a template for success against SA and forget the earlier Blues v Bulls match which was a more emphatic victory for the Blues. Maybe Link learnt from watching Pat Lam's boys play that night.
Sam Taulelei
Guest
Frank This years Tri Nations draw is exactly the same as 2008. There is a strong parallel in how the All Blacks played the first test against the Boks in 2008 and this year (which they've both won) by not kicking the ball out and playing away from the Boks acknowledged strength. It will be interesting to see how the Boks respond and if they are able to force NZ to kick the ball out and play lineouts. NZ in 2008 were missing McCaw and had to play two rookie locks in the second test which they narrowly lost late in the match. This year NZ is a more experienced and settled team and they are growing in confidence in their ability at the setpieces. It's unusual to see NZ contest a lineout and actually steal a few throws from the Boks. Can NZ muscle up in consecutive weeks and be just as intense in defence and at the collisions? Nothing less will bring them success against a hurting Springbok side who know they didn't turn up to play and test NZ's defence. Selections will point to how the Boks will want to play, but it's up to the players selected to execute and perform. Unfortunately for them too few of them did last night. What a tantalising and gripping series this promises to be. Screw the world cup, test rugby is back.
Ben S
Roar Guru
Frank, did you watch the most recent Lions series? If so you may well have noticed the performances of Simon Shaw. For mine, Lionel Nallet is superior to Botha, as is Patricio Albacete. It was informative that the Bulls went just as well with Rossouw partnering Matfield. I think you overstate Botha's significance. It isn't as if he is a tactical bulwark, as Martin Johnson was. He hits rucks and that's about it really. I can't see what he does that elevates him beyond other traditional 4 locks?