'Probably their best possible team': Boks react to stacked All Blacks side
Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick believes the All Blacks will be significantly stronger this week with the changes that they have made to their matchday squad.
Rieko Ioane and Sevu Reece will be the All Blacks’ wings for Saturday’s Rugby Championship Round Six clash after George Bridge and Will Jordan paid the price for nervy displays out wide in the face of a Springbok aerial bombardment during last week’s tight 19-17 win.
Brad Weber also comes in to take over the No.9 jersey from TJ Perenara, while Anton Lienert-Brown gets the No.13 jersey in the midfield.
“If you look at that team it’s probably their best possible team with Anton Lienert-Brown coming back with his experience,” said Stick. “We know what he can do and he is a very tough player.
“Ioane at wing, he is playing well. Sevu Reece has played against us and we know what he can do. He is very dangerous.
“The team that they selected shows the respect between the two teams even though they won the Championship already.
“We could have given other guys an opportunity, but we just want to win this one and we had to select our best team.”
Stick added: “[Brad] Weber is a very busy player. He is a problem around the breakdowns, so he is going to challenge us there.
“If you look at the balance in that back three with Jordie Barrett, who had a massive game against us, it’s going to be tough for us, but these are the games you want to be part of.”
Meanwhile, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said the team shared in the disappointment their fans were experiencing following three defeats, but he hoped that the hard work would pay dividends on the field on Saturday.
“It is tough for us as a team,” said Kolisi.
“We are hurting just as our fans are hurting because we are preparing well, but we are not getting the results. But we’ll keep working hard.
New Zealand: Jordie Barrett, Sevu Reece, Anton Lienert-Brown, David Havili, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Brad Weber; Luke Jacobson, Ardie Savea (capt), Akira Ioane, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retalick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. REPLACEMENTS: Asafo Aumua, George Bower, Ofa Tuungafasi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ethan Blackadder, T.J. Perenara, Richie Mo'unga, Damian McKenzie.
SOUTH AFRICA: Willie le Roux, Sbu Nkosi, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Handré Pollard, Faf de Klerk, Duane Vermeulen, Kwagga Smith, Siya Kolisi (capt), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Trevor Nyakane, Bo ngi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. REPLACEMENTS: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Jasper Wiese, Herschel Jantjies, Elton Jantjies, Frans Steyn.
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No just because the personal is much better than last year. I've shown no antagonism of Crusader players, you must be confusing me with someone else.
I have critized Razor for picking players he knows occasionally?
I said I'm not surprised because of his style, he's more a grinder player like Cane, not going to show up on peoples radar until you see how bad the other choices are. This year players like Clarke have been on fire and just show a bit more.
Are you one of those posters continually taking it easy on Razor because he doesn't have his Crusaders stars available? Do you think the rugby world is going to up to him suddenly once Mo'unga returns? lol
Go to commentsJohn you have been beating this drum for a couple of years, if you get proven right get back to us.
The last recent and decent Aussie coach was Ewen McKenzie, he was undermined and forced out by a couple of slimy Aussie players who were given a free pass when they should have been disciplined.
So our history since McQueen is very checkered and it seems to make little difference whether we have an Aussie coach or a Kiwi coach. The players have been entitled for a long time and we had to hit bottom to get them back into reality and to stop thinking it is all about them.
Cheika was an OK coach but his 'go our and destroy the opposition' tactic worked for a while and then didn't.
Please give me a list of great Aussie coaches that I have missed.
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