Ex-All Black: Gap to the Springboks ‘definitely there’ as ‘overconfident’ South Africa missed out on 4-0 thrashing
Springboks centre Jesse Kriel celebrates and All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie.
Former All Blacks prop John Afoa has admitted that the gap to the Springboks could have been “humongous” had the hosts not been “too confident” for the opening Test.
South Africa claimed a 3-1 series triumph over New Zealand, fighting back after losing the first match at Ellis Park to win the next three.
The All Blacks, under their new head coach Dave Rennie, were competitive in those losses, but the Boks were deserved winners and it could have been worse on the scoreboard, according to Afoa.
Springboks’ errors in first Test
While the tourists defeated the Boks 33-16 in Johannesburg, it was another game which was decided on small margins and key moments.
Asked on Sky Sport NZ’s The Breakdown show if there’s a gap between the two teams, the former tighthead responded: “It’s definitely there, we’ve lost the last three games in a row. You could say things went our way in that first game, we could have lost that easily.
“The South Africans were too confident and went for a lot of corners. If they had took the points in the first game, we could be sitting here 0-4 and people would be thinking the gap is humongous.”
That’s not to say the All Blacks were far off, Afoa states, with Rennie’s men showing some promising signs, but it is clear that they are not quite at the level of the Boks just yet.
New Zealand will now look to get back on track with two games against the Wallabies as they look to retain the Bledisloe Cup.
“If you’re really looking at the game, there are things that are there that you like and I think with a little bit more time, a little bit more tweaking…” Afoa added.
“We’re lucky we’ve got Australia, we could put 50 on them and then everyone’s like, ‘we’ll be happy’, but if we don’t then we’ll be like, ‘ooh, actually’.”
While the Springboks offered a contrast in styles, the Wallabies are much more what the All Blacks are used to given that their franchises go head-to-head in Super Rugby Pacific.
Afoa was joined on the panel by ex-New Zealand fly-half Aaron Cruden, who believes that they need more matches like Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour in order to adapt ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
“The Wallabies are a very different style compared to what we’ve just faced in the Springboks so we are going to have to adapt slightly, but if we are really chasing the Springboks, that’s the type of duress, that’s the type of pressure we need to be applying and constantly living under to close that gap,” Cruden said.
All Blacks continuity
Continuity is also key, according to Test centurion Mils Muliaina, who insists that the All Blacks will continue to improve under Rennie.
“It’s being together a lot more. You’re up against the best in the world and that’s the thing, it’s feeling comfortable around that guy. You talk about Richie Mo’unga, he was starting to see opportunities.
“[But] it’s not just about him seeing opportunities, they’ve got to get on the same page as well and the more time that you get around it.
“We’re learning from the best in the world so let’s just move onto the Bledisloe, hey.”