All Blacks sense Bok's desperation
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All Black's assistant coach Ian Foster is well aware that the Springboks are getting desperate to topple the world's No.1 team, especially after five long years since a win in New Zealand.
New Zealand have won eight of their last nine Tests against the Springboks and the All Black assistant coach has noted that the games are getting more and more ferocious between the top two ranked teams.
Foster says while the All Blacks try to maintain a high level for every Test, he reckons the Springboks are lifting in a bid to knock the world champions off their perch ahead of the 2015 World Cup.
"We know that South Africa are gunning for us. They've stated pretty strong that they feel they need to beat us this year," Foster said.
"They're going to bring a lot of intensity and desperation so we've got to make sure that we meet that."
Although the Boks lost their only two matches in 2013 against the All Blacks, the coach still maintains that those games were exhausting affairs for players and coaches alike in their camp.
They repelled a brutal Bok challenge in Auckland to win 29-15 before pulling away late to win the return fixture in Johannesburg 38-27 – a Test widely regarded as the premier international match of 2013.
"The one last year at Eden Park was like World War Three there for a while and the one at Ellis Park – I don't need to say much about that," Foster said.
The All Blacks will be slightly weakened for the Wellington Test with line-out maestro Sam Whitelock out with a rib injury along side Liam Messam who has a thigh issue.
The injury crisis at lock has prompted the All Blacks to consider promoting Jeremy Thrush (who began on the bench against Argentina) to a starting spot along side Brodie Retallick.
The spot that will be left on the bench is providing a slight headache as the All Blacks as they rethink their strategies.
Dominic Bird and Blues rookie Patrick Tuipulotu are returning from injury without much match-fitness, yet it seems evident that one of them may fill the void left by Thrush, who is expected to start.
"It is our preference, if they've been out, to bring them back through the NPC Cup," Foster said of players returning from injury
"Sammy Whitelock's injury has caused us to re-think some of those plans."
Yahoo NZ
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