John Kirwan, the former All Black wing, has thrown in his two cents about the upcoming clash at Eden Park, tipping the scales in favor of the Springboks when it comes to nailing those nail-biter moments. While the All Blacks are clinging to a longstanding 50-match unbeaten streak at their Auckland stronghold, the Springboks are eyeing a historic upset, having not savored victory there since the days of flapper dresses and Model T Fords in 1937.
The South Africans, fresh from their double victory over the Kiwis in last year's Rugby Championship, strut into the match with a swagger not seen on New Zealand turf since their 2018 triumph. Kirwan pointed out, on the Rivals podcast, the stark contrast in handling the heat between the two teams. The All Blacks recently faltered against Argentina, showing cracks that the seasoned Boks are all too ready to exploit.
"The series last year was amazing, but South Africa won the critical moments," Kirwan remarked. "There was a critical moment against Argentina as well. Don't get me wrong, [the Pumas] deserved to win, but that lineout was key."
According to Kirwan, the Springboks have a blueprint for pressure: force a penalty, boot it to the corner, and then let their maul do the heavy lifting. The All Blacks, in contrast, have been a bit generous, handing over penalties that cost them dearly.
"My biggest concern is just the critical moments. South Africa have this really clear understanding of what they are going to do when they’re under pressure – work for a penalty, kick you into the corner, maul, pick-and-go. That’s their DNA. What did we do? Gave away a couple of penalties and let them do that. So the maturity of this All Blacks side is going to be really evident at Eden Park because we’re going to have to win the critical moments," added Kirwan.
Kirwan isn't the only one bracing for a showdown. Former Bok lock Victor Matfield weighed in, highlighting the enormity of the challenge facing the world champions. "You never arrive in New Zealand as favourites. The All Blacks are always favourites, especially when you play at Eden Park – it’s going to be a massive Test match," he stated. However, Matfield remains optimistic about the Boks' resilience and adaptability, particularly after a tough game against Australia that threw their initial plans into disarray.
As the clash looms, both teams are gearing up for what promises to be another epic encounter in the storied rivalry. With little to separate the two sides, Kirwan predicts a nail-biting finish: "It’s going to come down to three points. It’s not going to be a blowout. It’s going to be an amazing Test match."
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John Kirwan, the former All Black wing, has thrown in his two cents about the upcoming clash at Eden Park, tipping the scales in favor of the Springboks when it comes to nailing those nail-biter moments. While the All Blacks are clinging to a longstanding 50-match unbeaten streak at their Auckland stronghold, the Springboks are eyeing a historic upset, having not savored victory there since the days of flapper dresses and Model T Fords in 1937.
The South Africans, fresh from their double victory over the Kiwis in last year's Rugby Championship, strut into the match with a swagger not seen on New Zealand turf since their 2018 triumph. Kirwan pointed out, on the Rivals podcast, the stark contrast in handling the heat between the two teams. The All Blacks recently faltered against Argentina, showing cracks that the seasoned Boks are all too ready to exploit.
"The series last year was amazing, but South Africa won the critical moments," Kirwan remarked. "There was a critical moment against Argentina as well. Don't get me wrong, [the Pumas] deserved to win, but that lineout was key."
According to Kirwan, the Springboks have a blueprint for pressure: force a penalty, boot it to the corner, and then let their maul do the heavy lifting. The All Blacks, in contrast, have been a bit generous, handing over penalties that cost them dearly.
"My biggest concern is just the critical moments. South Africa have this really clear understanding of what they are going to do when they’re under pressure – work for a penalty, kick you into the corner, maul, pick-and-go. That’s their DNA. What did we do? Gave away a couple of penalties and let them do that. So the maturity of this All Blacks side is going to be really evident at Eden Park because we’re going to have to win the critical moments," added Kirwan.
Kirwan isn't the only one bracing for a showdown. Former Bok lock Victor Matfield weighed in, highlighting the enormity of the challenge facing the world champions. "You never arrive in New Zealand as favourites. The All Blacks are always favourites, especially when you play at Eden Park – it’s going to be a massive Test match," he stated. However, Matfield remains optimistic about the Boks' resilience and adaptability, particularly after a tough game against Australia that threw their initial plans into disarray.
As the clash looms, both teams are gearing up for what promises to be another epic encounter in the storied rivalry. With little to separate the two sides, Kirwan predicts a nail-biting finish: "It’s going to come down to three points. It’s not going to be a blowout. It’s going to be an amazing Test match."