Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made only one change in the team that is going to face the All Blacks for the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series decider in Baltimore, USA, on Saturday.
This as injuries have forced wing and fullback Cheslin Kolbe to stay behind and will be replaced by Damian Willemse, while scrumhalf Morne van den Berg being drafted into the starting team.
Despite leading the series 2-1, Erasmus believes that there’s still room for improvement and eliminating some of the mistakes made during the past three matches.
“We always want to try and play better, and I guess there’s a lot of areas that we can get better.
Obviously, you know, the last two test matches we were about five or six minutes ahead with 14 points or so and then we still made it a seven-point game or a very close game.
I don’t think we’ve been consistent.
A lot of people are talking about our defence, but when you play against New Zealand it is tough to defend and they really attack well so we want to get better there,” said Erasmus.
With a narrow 2-1 lead, Erasmus warned that he expects an all-out revenge from the All Blacks, but he has confidence that the team is ready for the challenge.
“Obviously, it’s self-explanatory that if they win it, it’s a draw.
If we win it, we win the series.
So that’s on the line and that’s the way we are approaching this week.
It’s going to be a hell of a match-up.
So, the only thing that we’ll really miss is our own support and they will also miss their own support, it’s a neutral venue,” explained Erasmus.
Both teams travelled together to the US in the early hours of Sunday on a chartered flight, and the Boks coach described travelling with the opponents as a new thing for both teams.
“So obviously the players weren’t grouped, all mixed in match.
The New Zealanders had their spot, and we had our spot and they were on this side and we were on that side.
I think the people must be sure, the players and the coaches don’t dislike each other.
We’re just competitive, so it was all good vibes,” remarked the coach.
The Springboks will fly directly from the USA to Australia for the one-off Test against the Wallabies in Perth on 27 September.
