Fresh off a ruthless 54–00 demolition of the Sharks in torrential Durban rain, All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has sent an ominous warning to their next opponents: his side still has plenty of gears left to find.
The unbeaten tourists have arrived in Pretoria to face the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld this Saturday. The clash marks the final stop on their high-stakes tour before the highly anticipated first Test against the Springboks.
Despite running in eight tries at a waterlogged Kings Park on Tuesday night, Rennie was quick to demand a sharper performance from his team. After a sluggish first half that saw the All Blacks lead 14-00 while battling discipline issues, the side clicked into gear to produce a blistering 40-point second-half display.
“We’re probably a bit frustrated; in the first 40 we gave away a lot of penalties early and struggled to get our hands on the ball,” Rennie said post-match. “When we did, we looked good, but we didn’t build enough pressure for long enough.
“The second half was excellent; we kicked really well, were a lot more clinical and continued to defend well. They kicked a lot of ball, which we generally dealt with well.
“Look, we’ve got a lot more in us, and we can’t afford to start games as we have in the last two here, so that’ll be a focus for us. But a really positive last 40."
The step up in opposition this weekend will be significant. Rennie is well aware that the Bulls, a consistent powerhouse in the United Rugby Championship (URC), present a far stiffer tactical and physical challenge at their high-altitude fortress.
“The Bulls have consistently been South Africa’s best franchise side, making the United Rugby Championship finals in four of the last five years. Loftus Versfeld is one of the most formidable rugby grounds in the world, so we are aware of the challenge in front of us and excited at what lies ahead,” Rennie said.
With the first Test against the Springboks looming at Ellis Park in Johannesburg the following Saturday, Rennie has used this tour to test the full depth of his squad. The internal battle for starting jerseys is reaching a boiling point.
“This is also our final hit-out before the first Test match against the Springboks, so it is an important game for us. There is healthy competition for Test spots, so another opportunity for players to put their hands up for selection.
“The conditions made it challenging, but I thought overall we did a pretty good job there, on the back of a solid defensive effort," Rennie added. "We’ve got a lot more players who have had good game time. There’s good competition for spots, and that’s really important heading into the [Joburg] Test.”
In a major selection talking point for Saturday's clash, veteran hooker Codie Taylor will lead the All Blacks onto Loftus Versfeld, taking over the captaincy duties for the very first time.
“Huge congratulations to Codie on his first All Blacks captaincy. He is a top man and has done a great job leading this tour group. This is a proud moment for an All Blacks centurion who has made a massive contribution to this team as a player and a leader,” Rennie said.
The All Blacks also received excellent news on the injury front. Fullback Damian McKenzie, who suffered an early ankle scare against the Sharks, has recovered rapidly. Rennie had initially played it safe in Durban, explaining his early exit from Tuesday's match.
“Damian twisted his ankle when he came down from a high ball in the first minute. He was running around, and we had it strapped, but it was a bit ginger, so we decided to play it safe. He’s not too bad; we’d expect him to be fine for the first Test."
McKenzie has progressed well enough to not only feature but take the starting fly-half jersey against the Bulls. He will partner Cam Roigard in the halves, while a fit-again Richie Mo'unga returns to the match-day squad via the bench after being flown in as cover following Billy Proctor's departure.