Springboks coach Allister Coetzee knows his team could and should be outgunned by New Zealand at King's Park tomorrow but feels they do not need extra motivation to put up a stirring fight.
They will need to more than fight against a side that is chasing a 17th consecutive Test match win that could be made sweeter by beating their bitter foes.
“We’re playing against the world’s best team and they’ve had the most continuity in coaching structures and players but our motivation comes from within.
“People write us off and they want to think we play to prove a point.
“That's not how we operate because we understand the tradition of the rivalry between South Africa and the All Blacks. We will be up for this game,” said Coetzee.
“We need to play for a full 80 minutes because there are periods of the game where they just step it up and we can’t afford to give them any sort of soft moments and give them possession.
“We know we need to be accurate and ensure we put them under pressure at the gain line.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how that will be reffed but it’s going to be a crucial component of the game.”
To that effect, Coetzee made two injury enforced changes from the side that beat Australia at Loftus Versfeld last week with Faf de Klerk and Damian de Allende coming in for Rudy Paige and Jesse Kriel respectively.
With Paige having suffered a concussion in the Boks’ victory over Australia at Loftus last week‚ the coach was set to bring in a new scrumhalf for the King’s Park clash.
Spoilt for choice at having to pick between Francois Hougaard‚ who finished last week’s match at scrumhalf‚ new call-up Piet van Zyl and livewire De Klerk‚ Coetzee opted to start with the latter in the number nine jersey.
Coetzee has his favoured midfield combination that worked for him at the Stormers but there is also the importance of his team having to find focus.
It will be captain Adriaan Strauss’s last home Test with impending retirement at the end of the season but Coetzee knows the players will be able to focus on the task at hand.
“You look at Damian and you saw what he did when he played last year where you guys rated him as the best number 12 in the world.
“He dominated the gain line and any team that’s good does that. You look at New Zealand and that’s something they will also look to be doing. Every team wants to dominate the gain line and I think he’s the 12 who will do that,” said Coetzee.
“We won't allow emotions to come into this one and Adriaan understands his responsibilities and his job for the game.”
The Bok team is: Pat Lambie; Francois Hougaard‚ Juan de Jongh‚ Damian de Allende‚ Bryan Habana; Morne Steyn‚ Faf de Klerk; Warren Whiteley‚ Oupa Mohoje‚ Francois Louw‚ Pieyer-Steph du Toit‚ Eben Etzebeth‚ Vincent Koch‚ Adriaan Strauss‚ Beast Mtawarira. Reserves: Bongi Mbonambi‚ Steven Kitshoff‚ Julian Redelinghuys‚ Lood de Jager‚ Willem Alberts‚ Jaco Kriel‚ Lionel Mapoe‚ Willie le Roux.
Boks to fight on all fronts
They will need to more than fight against a side that is chasing a 17th consecutive Test match win that could be made sweeter by beating their bitter foes.
“We’re playing against the world’s best team and they’ve had the most continuity in coaching structures and players but our motivation comes from within.
“People write us off and they want to think we play to prove a point.
“That's not how we operate because we understand the tradition of the rivalry between South Africa and the All Blacks. We will be up for this game,” said Coetzee.
“We need to play for a full 80 minutes because there are periods of the game where they just step it up and we can’t afford to give them any sort of soft moments and give them possession.
“We know we need to be accurate and ensure we put them under pressure at the gain line.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how that will be reffed but it’s going to be a crucial component of the game.”
To that effect, Coetzee made two injury enforced changes from the side that beat Australia at Loftus Versfeld last week with Faf de Klerk and Damian de Allende coming in for Rudy Paige and Jesse Kriel respectively.
With Paige having suffered a concussion in the Boks’ victory over Australia at Loftus last week‚ the coach was set to bring in a new scrumhalf for the King’s Park clash.
Spoilt for choice at having to pick between Francois Hougaard‚ who finished last week’s match at scrumhalf‚ new call-up Piet van Zyl and livewire De Klerk‚ Coetzee opted to start with the latter in the number nine jersey.
Coetzee has his favoured midfield combination that worked for him at the Stormers but there is also the importance of his team having to find focus.
It will be captain Adriaan Strauss’s last home Test with impending retirement at the end of the season but Coetzee knows the players will be able to focus on the task at hand.
“You look at Damian and you saw what he did when he played last year where you guys rated him as the best number 12 in the world.
“He dominated the gain line and any team that’s good does that. You look at New Zealand and that’s something they will also look to be doing. Every team wants to dominate the gain line and I think he’s the 12 who will do that,” said Coetzee.
“We won't allow emotions to come into this one and Adriaan understands his responsibilities and his job for the game.”
The Bok team is: Pat Lambie; Francois Hougaard‚ Juan de Jongh‚ Damian de Allende‚ Bryan Habana; Morne Steyn‚ Faf de Klerk; Warren Whiteley‚ Oupa Mohoje‚ Francois Louw‚ Pieyer-Steph du Toit‚ Eben Etzebeth‚ Vincent Koch‚ Adriaan Strauss‚ Beast Mtawarira. Reserves: Bongi Mbonambi‚ Steven Kitshoff‚ Julian Redelinghuys‚ Lood de Jager‚ Willem Alberts‚ Jaco Kriel‚ Lionel Mapoe‚ Willie le Roux.
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