Jesse Kriel has hailed the “massive” impact made by attack coach Tony Brown as the Springboks prepare to face the All Blacks for the first time since the World Cup final.

Rugby’s greatest rivalry will be showcased this week on the Highveld when the world champions tackle the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship at Ellis Park.

Rassie Erasmus’ charges have won the last two clashes – including the 2023 Rugby World Cup final in Paris – and a victory in Johannesburg will see them equal South Africa’s record winning streak over the Kiwis set in 2009.

Erasmus has altered his coaching staff since the World Cup final, with former All Blacks flyhalf Brown joining as the new attack coach.

There have already been glimpses of Brown’s impact, with the Springboks keeping ball in hand for longer and scoring some excellent tries in the series against Ireland and Rugby Championship openers in Australia.

“Brown has been massive since he’s come in,” Kriel said. “He’s got the guys in the room really excited. I think he’s got us playing a really exciting brand of rugby that the guys are enjoying. It’s nice getting onto the field and being excited about how you’re going to play.

“You can see quite a bit of change, but you keep the core of what you’ve built on for the last couple years.

“If you look at a guy like Eben [Etzebeth], he’s got an unbelievable pair of hands and offloading ability. If you look from one to 15, there are guys with amazing skill sets,” Kriel added.

Kriel, who started in the 12-11 win over the All Blacks at the Stade de France, says the Springboks aren’t resting on their laurels ahead of the resumption of the rivalry.

“If you’re not better now than you were last year, you’ve got a problem,” said Kriel.

“The big thing for us is that we want to stay ahead of the curve and keep working on our individual skills to get better. I definitely believe we’re a better team than we were last year.”

Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images

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Src: sarugbymag.co.za