Boks no longer a 'one-trick pony'
New Zealand may have their eyes on the big prize, the Webb Ellis Cup, but they know there's a tricky hurdle awaiting them at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The All Blacks, the World Cup and Rugby Championship holders, see the encounter with the Springboks as an ideal trial run to see where they stand ahead of the global showpiece in September and October.
All Black assistant coach Ian Foster made no secret that they see Saturday as a "big Test" against a traditional foe.
Add in the fact that the Springbok team is no longer a one trick pony and Saturday will be a good indicator for where the Kiwis stand.
Foster, speaking at a media briefing in Johannesburg, described playing at Ellis Park as "pretty special" and always a real highlight for the All Blacks.
"We know it is a massive task on Saturday," he said, adding: "This is a big Test, South Africa in South Africa."
However, it was when he spoke about the importance of the game and what they hope to get out of it, that he Foster was at his most revealing.
"The focus is on the big prize at the end," he said of the World Cup – which takes place in England in September and October.
"That is a common denominator between us and South Africa," he said of the global showpiece.
"However, both countries will have pretty strong objectives for this game.
"We are playing and old foe and a top team in the world, so this is a fantastic opportunity to test where we are at.
"While the big focus is on the future, the focus for Saturday is very much on there here and now. If we lose focus, we've wasted a very good opportunity to learn where we are at – a win or good performance on Saturday would confirm some of the direction we are going into."
He felt that Bok coach Heyneke Meyer has evolved his team significantly in the last year or so.
"They have freed up their game considerably," the All Black assistant said.
"They have used a lot more turnover ball, counter-attacking ball and have become good at it.
"They certainly make it hard for us and they are playing a lot more options.
"They have the talent to play a 15-man game and they have backed that up with some of their selections – they have a bit of youth in that backline to add a bit of spark to it."
He said the Boks will be "very challenging" at Ellis Park, a venue the All Blacks enjoy playing a.
"It [the conditions on the Highveld] does enable us to attack. Just look at the last two years, both teams had a real focus on attack and that meant the game freed up."
By Jan de Koning, in Johannesburg
@King365ed
@rugby365com
