Neil Barnes, assistant coach for the All Blacks, has sounded the alarm that his team has stirred up a storm by defeating the current world champion Springboks last week at Ellis Park with a score of 33-16, breaking the Boks' 12-Test undefeated streak. Despite this victory, Barnes emphasized a tougher challenge awaits the All Blacks in Cape Town this Saturday for the next match of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
In chatting with the New Zealand Herald's Ryan Bridge, Barnes recalled the intense struggle the team faced in Johannesburg even before their eventual triumph. He noted that to prepare for the upcoming game against an enraged South African team, they will need to elevate their play significantly.
"But mate, I don’t know if you’ve ever poked a bear before. I sort of know what’s coming, and so we’ll be preparing for a beast that’s going to be even bigger than the last one,"
Barnes went on to describe the first half of the last match as one of their poorest performances of the tour, highlighting the relentless pressure the Springboks exerted. However, their ability to turn the match around was, to him, a testament to their resilience and capability.
Errors on the part of the Springboks were pointed out as a significant factor that allowed the All Blacks to stay in the game. Barnes was clear that relying on such mistakes would not be viable in every match.
He expressed immense pride in how his team managed the intense pressure and turned the game in their favor:
"We can’t survive that type of pressure every time. The Springboks made a truckload of mistakes in that game, which led us back into it. If they were clinical, we wouldn’t have had a chance. So we’ve got to improve our game tenfold if we want to win the next one. So we’re very clear on that."
Acknowledging the gritty performance, Barnes is confident but cautious, knowing full well the Herculean effort needed to repeat their success in Cape Town. With the Springboks eager to reclaim their top spot, this upcoming match promises to be an epic showdown in the annals of rugby rivalry. //
