'Hurt' All Blacks wary of Pollard, Willie
09/06/2024 11:26 AM
Skipper Scott Barrett said New Zealand are braced for an aerial battle with veteran playmakers Handre Pollard and Willie le Roux starting for the Springboks on Saturday, reports DEVIN HERMANUS.
The All Blacks will field a fresh back three for the first-ever Rugby Championship clash between the old foes at Cape Town Stadium, with the versatile Will Jordan at fullback and Sevu Reece and Mark Tele'a on the wings.
They will be tasked with handling the aerial threat posed by Pollard and Le Roux, known for their precision kicking and tactical nous. Flyhalf Pollard is promoted from the bench for this week’s rematch against the Kiwis, along with Eben Etzebeth. Le Roux and Canan Moodie, too, come straight into the starting XV, at 15 and 14 respectively.
"No two Test matches are the same, and South Africa would have adapted their strategy for tomorrow," Barrett told reporters after Friday's captain's run at Athlone Stadium. "They [Pollard and Le Roux] offer a great kicking game, and it might be a game of aerial play and kicking battles, so our back three have to be ready for that."
Barrett is also aware of the threat posed by the towering Etzebeth alongside Ruan Nortje in the second row. "Eben is one of their go-to men, and we have to be able to pressure them, especially in the set-pieces," Barrett remarked. "Hopefully, we get some results.”
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Finishing the game strong has been a major focus for the Kiwis this week after losing last week in Johannesburg, where they led by 10 points going into the final 20 minutes. Barrett stressed the importance of staying focused: "We've highlighted that, and it's been a big area of focus for us, the finishing.
“It's about being switched on and not giving them [the Boks] any easy ins into our 22 because South Africa likes to feed off of that."
The mood in the All Blacks camp remains determined after the Ellis Park defeat, as the team looks to avoid a fourth consecutive loss to the Boks, a rare occurrence in the long rivalry between the two teams.
"After last week, there's plenty of hurt, and we want to turn that result around, that's for sure," Barrett said.
One significant change to the All Blacks' starting XV is the inclusion of Wallace Sititi at blindside flanker, replacing the injured Ethan Blackadder.
Barrett is confident in Sititi's abilities: "Nothing much has changed for us, and we've got the best team to do the job. Wallace has been great, he brings a lot of energy to the [blindside flanker] position, and we look forward to seeing how he goes tomorrow."
As for his brother Beauden, who has been dropped to the bench, Barrett but backed his older sibling to make an impact: "He's a little bit disappointed he's not in the starting XV, but he'll play his part coming off the bench, no doubt about that."
Photo: Franco Arland/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
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