The All Blacks head into their second test against the Springboks at Cape Town’s waterfront facing an expected backlash from a bruised world-champion side, according to coach Dave Rennie. Weather forecasts indicate evening showers may hit the coastal venue, matching the turbulent atmosphere surrounding the fixture following New Zealand’s victory at Ellis Park.
Springbok Backlash Expected in Cape Town
Under coach Rassie Erasmus, South Africa lost at Eden Park in September before responding the following week, and rebounded after opening losses in the 2021 British & Irish Lions series as well as pool matches during the 2019 and 2023 World Cups. Rennie noted that his squad is fully aware of the potential bounce-back, stating that the opposition will be disappointed with last weekend’s performance, as reported after naming Leroy Carter on the left wing and making two injury-enforced pack changes.
Did you know? Rassie Erasmus has a documented history of motivating the Springboks to bounce back after major losses, including recovering from defeats in the 2019 and 2023 World Cup pool stages to eventually lift both trophies.
All Blacks Focus on Fixing Scrum and Penalty Vulnerabilities
Despite securing their largest success at Ellis Park, the All Blacks identified significant areas for improvement, notably discipline and set-piece stability. Rennie pointed out that conceding 14 penalties allowed South Africa easy entries into dangerous territory, while the scrum struggled significantly under pressure last week, yielding five consecutive penalties. Australian referee Agnus Gardner will replace Nika Amashukeli after the Georgian official pulled out due to illness, a change that could alter interpretations at the set-piece. Rennie emphasized that the team’s expectation is for a much-improved scrum performance that stays square and allows attacking rugby to flourish.
Match Day Lineups
All Blacks: 1. George Bower, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Tupou Vaa’i, 5. Fabian Holland, 6. Simon Parker, 7. Luke Jacobson, 8. Ardie Savea (c), 9. Cam Roigard, 10. Ruben Love, 11. Leroy Carter, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Quinn Tupaea, 14. Will Jordan, 15. Damian McKenzie. Reserves: 16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Xavier Numia, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Patrick Tuipulotu, 20. Peter Lakai, 21. Kyle Preston, 22. Anton Lienert-Brown, 23. Josh Moorby.
Springboks: 1. Ox Nche, 2. Malcolm Marx, 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 5. Ruan Nortje, 6. Siya Kolisi (captain), 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8. Jasper Wiese, 9. Cobus Reinach, 10. Handre Pollard, 11. Ethan Hooker, 12. Damian de Allende, 13. Jesse Kriel, 14. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 15. Damian Willemse. Reserves: 16. Deon Fourie, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Thomas du Toit, 19. Lood de Jager, 20. Andre Esterhuizen, 21. Cameron Hanekom, 22. Morne van den Berg, 23. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is refereeing the second test between the All Blacks and Springboks?
Australian referee Agnus Gardner will officiate the match, replacing Nika Amashukeli who withdrew due to illness.
What changes did the All Blacks make to their starting lineup?
Dave Rennie named Leroy Carter on the left wing and made two injury-enforced changes to the starting forward pack.
How have the Springboks historically responded to losses under Rassie Erasmus?
South Africa has consistently bounced back from major defeats under Erasmus, recovering after losses to win series and tournament titles such as the 2019 and 2023 World Cups.
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