VIDEO: All Blacks looking to blitz the Boks again
New Zealand has made no secret of the fact that they are looking to replicate the game plan they produced in Auckland three months ago when they go head-to-head with South Africa in the World Cup Final at Stade de France in Paris on Saturday.
The two archrivals have already met twice this year – with the score standings at one-all between the world’s two top-ranked teams.
The winner of Saturday’s Final will not only lift the Webb Ellis Cup for a record fourth time, but will also finish the year as the No.1 in the world.
The All Blacks won 35-20 in the Rugby Championship encounter in Auckland back in July, talking a 17-0 lead inside the first 12 minutes and never allowing the Boks back in the game.
The Springboks returned the favour with a comprehensive 35-7 drubbing at Twickenham in the World Cup warm-up match in August, the Boks racing into a 14-0 half-time lead and pushing that out to 35-0 – with the Kiwis scoring a late consolation try inside the final 10 minutes.
“It’s no secret both teams will be focusing on the first 20 minutes, I’d imagine,” All Black defence coach Scott McLeod told @rugby365com.
“It is about who can execute with accuracy.
“We have talked about that this [Monday] morning.
“We will need to be extremely accurate, show touches that we want to show and be able to apply pressure at the same time.”
(Watch All Black defence coach Scott McLeod chat to @king365ed about the key factors in the World Cup Final face-off with the Springboks…)
He made it clear there will not be a repeat of the sluggish start they produced in London just before the World Cup.
“The Boks have always come out wanting to start well and we will take our lessons from Mt Smart [Auckland] and do the same again.”
McLeod also touched on the difference in the kicking game in the teams’ recent meetings, where the All Blacks won the kicking battle in Auckland and won the match, and the Springboks won the aerial battle in their victory at Twickenham.
“The first person into the air will win the space, probably,” he said.
“We felt we were a little bit hungrier and a little bit quicker in that first game.
“However, in the second game, we were slower to get into the air and slower to get back in the system.
“They beat us into that space.
“Whoever wins that space, will win that battle.”
Asked about the defensive challenges posed by the Springboks, he said the Boks’ kicking game is the big threat.
“We haven’t encountered a lot of that, so that is something we will build on his week.
“They are very good at getting into the air and getting the ball back.
“When they do get it, they put it into space behind, spread it wide and play from there.
“They have scored tries from their aerial stuff. We will be building our detail into how we can win those moments.”
@king365ed
@rugby365com
