Rennie shared his thoughts during a press conference at Newlands on Thursday, where he also announced his team for the weekend's game. He stressed that his team is not focused on the series as a whole nor on the fluctuations of international rugby rankings.
"We haven’t talked at all about the series [and] I’m not remotely interested in world rankings," Rennie said. "I don’t even understand them, and they can change on a whim somehow. It counts for very little, though. You win a World Cup, you’re a world champion, and you’ve got that tag for four years."
Rennie’s main concern remains the immediate challenge ahead. “Our focus is on the 80 minutes on Saturday,” he asserted, keeping the team's eyes firmly on the prize of another head-to-head victory.
When questioned about the potential closeness of the upcoming match, given the competitive odds set by bookmakers, Rennie expressed his preference for a clear-cut win, regardless of the margin.
"God, I mean, I’ll take a one-point win."
He elaborated on the nature of the contest, acknowledging both teams' capabilities to turn the game on its head. "It could be an absolute arm-wrestle, and both sides have got enough X factor that I guess, like we did last week, we finished pretty strong in what really was a very tight match. I’ll keep away from the bookies. I’m not even allowed to look at that sort of stuff," he added.
As the All Blacks prepare for what is anticipated to be a fierce backlash from the Springboks, the stage is set for an exhilarating encounter in Cape Town. Rennie and his team seem ready to bar up and face whatever comes their way in the pursuit of extending their lead in this historic series.
