Re-energised after a successful tour Down Under, Mzwandile Stick said the Springboks are mentally and physically prepared to lock horns with the All Blacks in the Republic.
The world champions in Johannesburg after a two-day break following their return from Australia, where they banked back-to-back bonus-point wins, for the home leg of their Rugby Championship campaign against New Zealand.
Stick said their focus in the next nine days was solely on producing the best quality rugby they could, to build on their encouraging start to the competition.
The Boks face their arch-rivals at Ellis Park on Saturday, 31 August and in Cape Town on 7 September. Stick expected a different challenge to that which they faced against the Wallabies when the teams meet for the first time since the Rugby World Cup final in October.
“If you had asked us at the beginning of the season if we thought it was possible to get 10 points against Australia at home, we would have probably said you are joking because it’s always tough against them down under,” the assistant coach said.
“But we’ll take those results. It was very positive for us as a team, but we are now facing a different challenge.
“The All Blacks have been one of the best teams for a while now and it showed in how they bounced back against Argentina after losing their first game.
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“On a good day they can be very dangerous, so the keys for us are to prepare well, ensure that we are aligned as a team, and to execute our game plan well because if you are not at your best on the day against the All Blacks they can punish you.”
“As a team we are in a good space at the moment,” Stick added. “We had two or three days off with our families and we are now back in camp. This means we have two extra days to work with the players which will allow us to implement a few things.
“It’s similar to what we did before the Australian leg, and it helped a lot. One can see the guys are fresh and the energy in the group is great.”
Stick said there were several positives the Boks could build on from their Australian tour and he hoped it would allow the team to dive straight into action when they line up against the All Blacks.
“The one thing I enjoyed [from the tour] was the young guys that came through and their excitement when they received opportunities to play,” said Stick.
“If you look at a young guy like Sacha [Feinberg-Mngomezulu] and Aphelele Fassi and they way they are maturing in those positions, it’s great for the team.
“Of course they’ll make mistakes now and then, but as long as one learns from those mistakes it makes you a better player.
“A couple of the players grabbed their opportunities with both hands and that’s great for us as coaches to build our squad depth and to create more competition in the different positions. It’s going to be a different challenge playing against the All Blacks, but these are the moments we live for, and we’ll make sure we prepare well.”
The Boks jumped into action in Joburg on Friday with a gym and field training session, and will continue their preparations on Saturday, before having Sunday off to recover as they prepare to switch into match mode on Monday.
Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
