Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids said he expected a physical grind against New Zealand at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland in the second Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash on Saturday, as the second group of players and coaches made their way east on Monday.
Davids was among the contingent that departed Johannesburg on Sunday night, and while he was pleased with the Springboks’ performance in their 43-12 victory against Australia in Pretoria, he was wary of the battle ahead against an All Blacks team that defeated the Pumas 41-12 in Argentina.
“I thought it was quite an impressive start by the All Blacks,” said Davids.
“They delivered quite a physical and intense performance, and the fact that they led 31-0 at the break shows what they can do when they get opportunities. For us it’s going to be very important to look after our possession.
“We're expecting a very tough, physical game from them. It’s never easy going down there, and with the crowd behind them, they’ll be an even tougher opponent.”
Davids was confident that the travelling contingent was prepared mentally and physically for the challenge of landing in New Zealand late on Monday night and adjusting to their new surroundings and time zone before Saturday’s match-up.
"That process started on Sunday with medical screening," he said. It’s all about recovery now and to slot into the training sessions in New Zealand as quickly as possible.
“There are players in Auckland already who have acclimatised, so it will be a matter of aligning in terms of our plans going into this game against a very tough opponent.”
Looking back at the victory against Australia, Davids said that while they had a solid base on which to build, there was work to be done as they launch into their second Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash with an eye on the Rugby World Cup later in the season.
“We are pleased with the performance,” said Davids. “The guys haven’t played in a long time, so it was good to see them align so quickly.
“There were some good rewards, and we created a lot of opportunities, but I think we should have used more of them because if you get chances at this level, it’s important to come away with points.
“From a forwards perspective, there were some positives, but there are areas in which we can improve. We are certainly not yet where we want to be, but that is part of the process as we build in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
“One always wants momentum and a good win early in the season, and while it’s important to build on the things that were good, we must find solutions in the areas we need to improve on.
“We have to be clinical in our execution against an opponent like New Zealand and use the opportunities we create because that’s an area they are particularly effective at.”