Author: LIAM NAPIER IN JOHANNESBURG
Both captains agree. A win, not the Rugby Championship trophy, is all that matters when the two best teams in the world come to blows at Ellis Park tomorrow.
Relaxed and recovered, All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw expects the silverware to be a secondary concern and, across town, Boks leader Jean de Villiers reiterated those sentiments.
The All Blacks went through their final light run this morning away from prying eyes after security guards found a cameraman in a van near their training venue yesterday.
But unlike other occasions, they also made a point of visiting their game-day venue, Ellis Park. That's because not one of this week's squad has played a test there. Andrew Hore went the closest, sitting on the bench in 2004.
Players wandered onto the pitch, took photos and glanced up at the steep stands, envisioning the intimating atmosphere 65,000 crazed South Africans will create.
"You're doing the wrong thing if you don't get excited by a test at Ellis Park," McCaw said. "Growing up we've heard this is the place to test yourself and we've got the opportunity to do that tomorrow. If we can go out and perform and get a good result that would be satisfying."
If there were any doubts about what the spiritual home of South African rugby means to the Boks, though, de Villiers quashed those today.
"If we've got a mountain to climb it feels as though the whole of South Africa gets in behind us and we are unbeatable," the classy second five-eighth said. "It's a great feeling to play at Ellis Park. To run out with a packed crowd there is one of the best feelings on a rugby field. Hopefully we play the perfect game."
De Villiers also made a point of downplaying the Boks quest to score four tries to win the title.
"Four tries is definitely not the focus," he said. "We won't play any different this week. Our game-plan hasn't changed. To win tomorrow we have to execute. We have to put up a performance like we did for the first 20 minutes last week for 80 minutes this week.
"The fact of the matter is it's not a Mickey Mouse team we're up against, it's the No 1 ranked team and World Cup winners. They also want to win the competition and the game."
With his left knee strapped, McCaw declared there were no lingering affects after returning early from his medial ligament knee injury.
"It's a great place to play and personally I've never played a test here so I'm happy to be running out here tomorrow," he said. "The knee is pretty good, it's better than it was a couple of years ago. I wouldn't play if I didn't think it was 100 percent.
"I've done everything I can but you've still got to let it heal. It could have been anywhere from four to six weeks so I'm lucky to be got to go after four weeks."
Starting with better intensity than last week will be a focus for the All Blacks. They know anything less will see them blown away. McCaw felt the passion of both sides would be driven by the desire to win, not claim the title.
"I'm not sure how they'll approach it," he said. "If it's anything like the way we would the first thing is to do everything you can to win the game. If the Rugby Championship wasn't on the line it would be the same battle. The pride these two teams have will reflect how they perform.
"I'm sure it's going to be noisy. I'd be nice if we can silence them a wee bit. The first 15 minutes is going to be key to the game to be honest but I hope our boys will be exactly the same. We've talked about that."
Boks centre JJ Engelbrecht has, meanwhile, recovered from a quad injury to take his place in the midfield alongside de Villiers.
- © Fairfax NZ News
