Despite already securing the inaugural Rugby Championship title, New Zealand are keen to finish the tournament with an unbeaten record.
While there have been suggestions the All Blacks might lose some focus after putting 50 points past Argentina to convincingly wrap up the competition with a game against the Springboks to spare, they dispelled any thoughts of slowing down against their old rivals at in Soweto on Saturday.
A win in South Africa in its own right is highly prized, forwards Sam Cane and Sam Whitelock said.
"We've won the championship but we've parked that now," young flanker Cane said.
"What we're focused on is winning over here. They've always been big Test matches and it's always more rewarding, hearing from the older guys, to win over here because of the challenge."
But for top-ranked New Zealand, yet another victory would also allow it to finish the tournament with six wins and a 16th consecutive Test victory - one of the best winning runs by a top-tier nation, which New Zealand and South Africa share.
"The challenge for us to play well this week and put a solid performance together is huge," second-row Whitelock said.
"With the competition being new, it will be great to start it off with a clean sweep."
A second straight victory in Soweto for the All Blacks -following their come-from-behind success in 2010 - would also be sweeter than most.
"We talked about last week playing against the Argentinians at home and then coming to play the South Africans here," Cane said. "They are probably the toughest two places to win in world rugby. If we can do that, we'll be pretty happy."
The Springboks showed a mini-revival to physically batter Australia in Pretoria last weekend. The Test now for New Zealand's players is to shrug off a long trip from Argentina and the effect of the altitude up on the South African highveld - where the Springboks tend to be at their strongest.
Whitelock said the problem of fatigue would be "next to minimum" by the weekend.
Instead, negating the influence of about 90,000 people at the thunderous stadium formerly known as Soccer City and the venue for the 2010 football World Cup final was more of a factor.
The All Blacks did that brilliantly in La Plata against the Pumas, silencing a rowdy Argentinian crowd with a clinical first-half display despite conceding an early try.
"I guess the big thing they've got is that they'll have about 90,000 Africans behind them," explained Cane.
"We'll want to start well. "And similar to what we did on Saturday, take the crowd out of it early."
Comments
new_j4a says...
@three6three6 says..."The BOKKE also cheats (I suppose), managed to score four tries in their demolition of the Wallabies" 5 tries actually....but I agree with your sentiments regarding the wannabee ozzie georgesmith who is obviously a fake: there just isn't enough inbreeding in Australia to have created this little freak.
Posted 20:38 03rd October 2012
brands says...
@ G Smith
More wisdom from the dunce it seems! you are a JOKE!!
Posted 09:40 03rd October 2012
three6three6 says...
Some people posting on here need to get a life..... simply suggesting that the ABs have cheated their way to success is disingenuous..... continually referring to McCaw as McCheat is an appalling slur against one of the greatest rugby players of the modern era.... Oh, do forgive me.... I forgot..... he does not wear the gold of the Wallabies!
With all their cheating the ABs only managed to score seven tries last weekend.... The BOKKE also cheats (I suppose), managed to score four tries in their demolition of the Wallabies.... Argentina managed to score two tries in adversity whilst the Wallabies ONLY managed to score one consolation try.... Which teams are currently playing attractive rugby? Those teams scoring tries! The reason that the ABs are playing so well is because of poor refereeing! What a pathetic and useless suggestion to expalin their success!
And finally, where does this leave the Wallabies??..... at number three in the world rankings after the weekend!
Posted 05:52 03rd October 2012
rugby_phile says...
Hey all of you lay off George, your endagering his fragile recovery, he is getting better, nobody noticed he hasn't mention Sharpe and Deans? Go easy fellows or be it on your head if he is re-committed.
Posted 03:21 03rd October 2012
tweedledee49 says...
guys i think we shouldnt assume georgesmith is aussie just because of the name, he is beginning to sound like bokavenger/bokvandam
or maybe he is aussie but Sharpe, Dennis, Kepu, McCaw all pilfered his wife at one point lol but then again judging from his posts he sounds like a little kid so it was probably his mom.
GO ALL BLACKS!
Posted 11:54 02nd October 2012
hellovanite says...
hahaha georgesmith friggen crack up hahaha
Posted 07:48 02nd October 2012
rugbylover says...
naughty georgesmith
You've stopped taking your medication.
Posted 07:47 02nd October 2012
whizz52 says...
Georgesmith... you sure a bitter and twisted idiot.But I understand that is often the case with lifes losers. Man you are going to be a bitter old fellow unless you stop watching rugby. I understand AFL is a great game to watch and a Aussie side always wins.
Posted 07:25 02nd October 2012
StunTheMullet says...
@ Georgesmith - Is that you Quadestile? Twatter broken?
Posted 07:16 02nd October 2012
kennyisgay says...
Georgesmith = loooooooooooooooooooserrrrrrrrr. Would you not change your name to wallabies or Aussie? Doesn't feel right calling the great Tongan flanker a loser
Posted 06:59 02nd October 2012
kiwishamoo says...
Or perhaps we're just better than you
Posted 06:57 02nd October 2012
porridge_time says...
georgesmith...
You are a complete an utter bore!
Posted 06:56 02nd October 2012
hayj05 says...
@georgesmith - Waaaaaaa.. Waaaaaaaaaa.... Waaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Keep it in your pants mate.
1. SANZAR introduced a week off every 2 weeks to ensure all teams are fresh when travelling.
2. The schedule alternates every year to ensure fairness for all teams.
3. Australia also played 3 home games before going on tour, crossing the ditch is hardly a tour.
4. The AB's are the only team to have won away thus far & they've done it twice.
5. This year Australia got 2 home Bledisloe cup tests to NZ's one, next year it will alternate just like TRC.
6. I'm starting to think you refer to McCaw as McCheat because he was responsible for your partener/wife/imaginary gf cheating on you, such is your obsession with him.
Posted 06:44 02nd October 2012
snoekie1959 says...
May not have 90,000 people behind the Boks if the issue of color representation rears its ugly political head!
Posted 02:16 02nd October 2012
georgesmith says...
SANZAR is favouring ABs. Big time! ABs are the only team in the Rugby Championship that got to play 3 consecutive games at home and hence they had the advantage, so came the wins and now the cheats call themselves champs. Cheaters, I would say more like extremely favoured Chimps.All other teams played 2 home games before going on tour but not the Kiwis.
It seems ABs can't win without cheating and favouritism from referees and tournament organizers.
Posted 00:30 02nd October 2012
georgesmith says...
Unless the referees improve their game greatly and police the breakdowns well... ABs will cheat their way to another cheap victory. No matter how well Boks play, ABs and their not-so-great great cheat leader R. McCheat will cheat their way to another win.
Posted 00:01 02nd October 2012