Emirates Lions fans might remember Scott ‘Razor’ Robinson for his breakdancing after his Crusaders team destroyed local hopes in the 2017 Super Rugby final in Johannesburg. The man himself will probably have as fond memories of the KZN surf that he so enjoyed on what used to be frequent trips to South Africa as he will of the rugby.
Robertson’s regular pilgrimages to South Africa were halted after 2019, however, first by Covid, and then by the decision to remove local teams from Super Rugby and align them with the northern hemisphere competitions, primarily the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, instead.
So as he prepares to bring his All Blacks to South Africa in his new role as national coach, Robertson finds himself treading a path he is less used to than he was a few years back. Most of his players have more experience of playing in South Africa and against South Africans than he does.
However, there’s some truth in that old saying that absence can make the heart grow fonder, and reading through the New Zealand media on the eve of the tour, it appears that counts in this case for Robertson. After his team’s impressive bounce back 42-10 win over the Argentina Pumas in Auckland at the weekend, he spoke about how playing here brings out the excitement.
“They’re (the South Africans) just a different challenge. They’re set piece orientated, but can get you in some great kick battles and put pressure on you in different ways,” said the All Black coach.
“It’s a little bit different to playing in Lautoka (Fiji) or at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. There’s the highveld, there’s the conditions you encounter over there, there’s all those factors that come with it. You do miss it, because it’s a different challenge, but it’s an exciting one.”
BROWN ADDS AN ANGLE TO THE CHALLENGE
Robertson is aware that the Boks have been working on changing aspects of their game since the arrival of his countryman Tony Brown as their attack coach, but that has only added to his level of excitement ahead of the two games that will be played in Johannesburg on 31 August and Cape Town on 6 September.
“They’ve got a clear DNA, South Africa. They’ve been pretty innovative and have evolved really well in the last few games, so that’s the exciting part. You get to see enough of them in test footy, and you see how coach Rassie Erasmus’ mind works. He’s pretty special. They’ve got a great group there, so they are going to be two great test matches.”
The All Blacks will probably have to win both games if they are to challenge the Bok path to what would be only their second Rugby Championship title. He is boosted by the knowledge that regular captain Scott Barrett will be back to lead the team, but will be hoping that the assessments on injuries to prop Ethan de Groot, who announced himself as an international player in the Johannesburg game between the sides in 2022, lock Patrick Tuipolotu and loose-forward Luke Jakobsen will produce positive results.
He knows he will need all hands on deck to beat a Bok team that comprehensively erased any lingering doubts about Australia’s status as a hoodoo venue for them in the two matches they won to open their Championship campaign on such a positive note. Across the two games they scored nine tries to one, and frankly it should have been much more than that. In both games the Boks butchered scoring opportunities.
BOK GAME CHANGE HASN’T NEGLECTED STRENGTHS
In the two matches in Brisbane and Perth they also surely erased doubts that the flick towards the new dynamic being introduced by former Japan and Highlanders coach Brown would mean they neglect their so-called traditional forward strengths. Or for that matter the tenets of their kicking game.
After the offloads and dazzle were very much in evidence in the 33-7 win in Brisbane, the power game and a pinpoint kicking strategy were in evidence in the 30-12 win in Perth. But that did not mean they weren’t prepared to try things at the back, even in the pouring rain, and the transition try scored by Aphelele Fassi was a warning to the other nations about where this team can go.
The All Blacks love a challenge though, and they will get what they are crying for in South Africa, with the captain against the Pumas, Ardie Savea, who said his men were relishing the challenge of beating the Boks away.
“That’s why you play footy. Everyone watching, the intensity, the pressure - that is what brings out the best in players,” said Savea.
It brought out the best of the Boks in the first game in 2022 in Nelspruit, when the current reigning world champions won 26-10, but it was the All Black turn to respond to the intense pressure they were under the following week when they won unexpectedly in Johannesburg. They will be channeling their memories from that game at a venue they boast a strong record at as they fly out to South Africa later this week.