Christchurch - All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says he’s expecting nothing less than a Springbok team that will want to “rip the heads off” of his players at AMI Stadium on Saturday.
The Boks have not been given much chance of becoming the first side to win a Test on New Zealand soil since 2009 – when ironically the Boks won 32-29 at Hamilton – after luke warm performances against Ireland in June and in Test matches against Argentina and Australia in the Rugby Championship.
Hansen’s men on the other hand breezed past Wales in June and have racked up big wins against the Wallabies and Argentina in recent weeks.
While Hansen acknowledges the Boks under new coach Allister Coetzee aren’t in the best position they could be going into a Test match with the old enemy Hansen thinks his team will be up against some fired up and angry men on Saturday.
“The Boks will be desperate, won’t they. They’re proud people, and if we were in the same situation I know how desperate we would be,” said Hansen today.
“There have been people from the outside who have jumped in and had plenty to say us, so as a team they’ve become tighter and tighter. They might not have the confidence you get from winning but there’s no doubt they’re going to be well prepared.
“They’re a physical team and we got to expect what’s coming ... if that means they’re going to be told to rip our heads off then that might be the case. I’d say they’re probably in the mood to do that; we just need to be in the mood to stop them.”
Hansen added he thought the team picked by his opposite number Allister Coetzee is the “best team” he could have picked, but is uncertain about what type of game the Boks will bring to the field on Saturday.
“Maybe that’s part of their problem so far,” said Hansen. “They’re not sure how to play because most of the side are from the Lions ... but there’s a certain style South Africa play; it’s bruising, it’s physical, it’s reasonably direct, whereas the Lions don’t play like that.
“So when you come and mould a team (like Allister is doing) sometimes it takes a while to get to where you want to be because you’re changing the style. I’m not sure how much of which style Allister wants to play ... it looks like a more expansive game.
“They’re still going through that process, but I can tell you they’ll get it right one of these days, and when they do, then look out.”
Asked which style he’d prefer to face on Saturday – the more direct, pack-based game, or the expansive new style? – Hansen said it mattered little. “I don’t care how they play, I just like to play them,” he said.
“It’s called a Test match because it’s a test of one’s physical capabilities and skills, but also mental capabilities. South Africa are a team that continually test New Zealand in all those areas, and they’ve done that for a long time. Sure we’ve had a pretty good run of victories, but there’s not been much in it in the last few Test matches. And, nothing in my mind tells me it will be any different this weekend.”
Independent Media