Africa-Press – South-Africa. The weight of history may be against them but the Springboks are excited by the challenge of taking on the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, a ground where South Africa have not won a test since 1937.
“The magnitude of the game is something that excites me,” stand-in captain Jesse Kriel said on Friday.
“I think as a competitor, and most guys will say the same thing, you want to be involved in the biggest of Test matches and this is right up there.
“You want to test yourself against the best, whether it’s in your position, or whether it’s [against a team higher] in the world rankings.
“It doesn’t get any bigger and any more exciting than this for a player.”
Beyond bragging rights, the game (9.05am SA time) is vital for the Springboks’ title defence. All four teams in the competition, which also includes Australia and Argentina, have one win and one defeat from the opening two rounds.
“We know for the Rugby Championship this is an extremely important game for us,” Kriel said.
New Zealand back row Ardie Sevea will earn a 100th international cap on Saturday, and Kriel was quick to pay tribute.
“For me what stands out about him is his big moments. He has huge moments in games, wherever he plays,” Kriel said. “I played against him in Japan, in Super Rugby, and in test matches, and I think you’ll always see him putting up his hand.
“He’s a guy that works hard and a big figure for them that leads by actions. It’s a huge occasion and a big milestone for him.”
Argentina smashed Australia 67-27 the last time the two nations faced off in the Rugby Championship a year ago but nobody is expecting anything similar when they meet in the tropical heat of Townsville on Saturday (6.30am SA time).
Victories over the British & Irish Lions and All Blacks this year prove the Pumas have by no means dipped but Australia’s transformation over the last 12 months means they go into Saturday’s match as slight favourites.
A win in the third test of the Lions series followed by one of the great upsets of the modern era against the Springboks and a narrow defeat in their second match in South Africa have put a spring in the step of Wallabies fans.
Coach Joe Schmidt knows it is vital that his team carry the momentum they have earned through the back-to-back tests against the Pumas before they take on the All Blacks to close out the competition.
“There were a number of things I think we righted along the way, it’s not a sudden solution that we needed to find, and I’m pretty sure that the players are conscious of what they need to deliver now,” Schmidt told reporters in Townsville on Thursday.
“It’s hard to connect something from a year ago with what we’re currently doing, but certainly there’ve been a few connections, and part of that connection is the quality of the Pumas side. We’re expecting it to be super tough.”
Consistency of selection is one of Schmidt’s mantras and he welcomed back skipper Harry Wilson and flyhalf Tom Lynagh from injury at the first opportunity when he named his team on Thursday.
Andrew Kellaway slots in at fullback in place of the injured Tom Wright, while Tom Hooper, who might have had to make way for Wilson, moves into the second row after Will Skelton returned to his French club.
The Pumas arrived in North Queensland on a high after beating the All Blacks for the first time on home soil in round two of the championship.
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