Forget trying to out-bulk the Springboks; former All Blacks maestro Steve Hansen has tossed that playbook out the window. He's preaching a gospel of speed and smarts ahead of the titanic clash with South Africa in the upcoming Rugby Championship.
Steve Hansen, a voice of experience with a World Cup ring to back it up, shared his insights with DSPN's Martin Devlin. "If you want to beat South Africa, you’ve got to beat them in a different way," he said. "Don’t get into an arm-wrestle with them. Because if you do, they’ll beat you." That's sage advice considering the All Blacks' recent struggles against the Boks, with four consecutive losses, including a pair on South African turf last season.
"We’ve got to play to our strengths. South Africa have always played to their strengths, which are their big physicality and their big men."
Hansen highlighted the need for New Zealand to capitalize on their agility and athleticism, a stark contrast to the brute force approach of the Boks. "The team they’ve selected allows them to play our fast game because they’re all good athletes," he added, emphasizing the dynamic capabilities of the All Blacks lineup.
The stakes are set high with back-to-back games at Eden Park, a fortress where the All Blacks haven't tasted defeat in over three decades. Both teams are coming off successful July series, setting the stage for a showdown of epic proportions.
Hansen didn't mince words about the Boks' renowned 6-2 bench split, a strategy that bolsters their forward pack. "They roll the dice every time they go to their 6-2 split bench," he remarked. "And it makes it hard because in the past, they’ve probably run out of petrol a little bit. But what they’re doing now is making sure players are being replaced by like players, and they’ve got a genuine, real physicality."
"Well, they’ve been beaten, so that tells you they are beatable."
True to form, Hansen remains undeterred by the Boks' formidable reputation, suggesting that with the right strategy, they can indeed be overcome. As the Rugby Championship approaches, it's clear Hansen believes in his former team's ability to adapt and overcome. The question now is, can the All Blacks translate his blueprint into victory? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure, it's going to be an exhilarating ride.
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Forget trying to out-bulk the Springboks; former All Blacks maestro Steve Hansen has tossed that playbook out the window. He's preaching a gospel of speed and smarts ahead of the titanic clash with South Africa in the upcoming Rugby Championship.
Steve Hansen, a voice of experience with a World Cup ring to back it up, shared his insights with DSPN's Martin Devlin. "If you want to beat South Africa, you’ve got to beat them in a different way," he said. "Don’t get into an arm-wrestle with them. Because if you do, they’ll beat you." That's sage advice considering the All Blacks' recent struggles against the Boks, with four consecutive losses, including a pair on South African turf last season.
"We’ve got to play to our strengths. South Africa have always played to their strengths, which are their big physicality and their big men."
Hansen highlighted the need for New Zealand to capitalize on their agility and athleticism, a stark contrast to the brute force approach of the Boks. "The team they’ve selected allows them to play our fast game because they’re all good athletes," he added, emphasizing the dynamic capabilities of the All Blacks lineup.
The stakes are set high with back-to-back games at Eden Park, a fortress where the All Blacks haven't tasted defeat in over three decades. Both teams are coming off successful July series, setting the stage for a showdown of epic proportions.
Hansen didn't mince words about the Boks' renowned 6-2 bench split, a strategy that bolsters their forward pack. "They roll the dice every time they go to their 6-2 split bench," he remarked. "And it makes it hard because in the past, they’ve probably run out of petrol a little bit. But what they’re doing now is making sure players are being replaced by like players, and they’ve got a genuine, real physicality."
"Well, they’ve been beaten, so that tells you they are beatable."
True to form, Hansen remains undeterred by the Boks' formidable reputation, suggesting that with the right strategy, they can indeed be overcome. As the Rugby Championship approaches, it's clear Hansen believes in his former team's ability to adapt and overcome. The question now is, can the All Blacks translate his blueprint into victory? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure, it's going to be an exhilarating ride.