All Black utility back Rieko Ioane believes his side are facing “a different beast” in the Springboks and need to up their game accordingly.
Ioane is part of the squad that arrived in Mbombela on the weekend and has set up a bubble camp in White River ahead of Saturday’s opening Castle Lager Rugby Championship game against the Springboks.
Ioane believes the All Blacks will have to bring their best game to tame the Springboks and says the isolation has helped the team concentrate after being bombarded by fans in New Zealand after their loss in the series against Ireland.
“It's a completely different beast that we are facing this week. Irish players play how they play and South Africa has similarities in how they play. They will see what we have done and adjust accordingly. They are smart players. We just have to plan for their absolute best game and we will be doing the same. We know they are at home so we are looking forward to it,” he said.
“We had a tough series against Ireland, but there are pros and cons. The boys are loving being here, we’re out on our own and it is just us training really in a bubble facility. The boys are growing closer and those off-field connections are going to shine on the field.”
Ioane said he loved touring South Africa and the team was seeing a special connection again after a four-year absence.
“I think it is a game that everyone prior to the four-year absence has looked forward to and we as players look forward to coming here. To have that break and not have the annual game over here builds the hype on the outside, so everyone is looking forward to it and we’re looking forward to putting up a decent performance on Saturday,” he added.
But the fact that some of the younger players haven’t experienced the hostile environment that awaits them over the next two weeks is something the team have addressed.
“We had a meeting with all the boys who haven’t been here and because we don’t have them in Super Rugby, there are quite a few boys who haven’t experienced the crowds or the stadiums. It is definitely going to be a new experience for them but it is going to be an awesome one for them.
“The landscapes are so much different to Cape Town, Joburg and all the places we’ve been. So it’s something new to us older boys but definitely something we’re looking forward to.”
Ioane said the team had received “so much love” since arriving in the country but he was expecting that to change on the weekend.
“It is crazy - there were a lot of people in Joburg when we landed at the airport. It’s just the buzz going round. Personally, it is one of my favourite places to travel - the people are so loving and supportive. The boys are loving being here.
“We’ve got a couple of older boys who have spoken about the tough games they’ve had and for me, some of the tougher games I’ve had in the black jersey have been over here. The last time we were over here, it went beyond the 80 minutes and we had to dig deep. The hardest games and toughest places to play are the ones you want to be part of. I know the boys are excited by that challenge.”
The All Blacks will name their side for the clash on Thursday.