Ex-Springboks star reveals where world champions’ Bomb Squad fall short ahead of All Blacks Test
The Springboks form a huddle ahead of a Test and ex-Boks flyer Gio Aplon (inset).
Former Springboks backline star Gio Aplon has identified the world champions’ inexperienced players as a potential weakness in their upcoming encounter with the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday.
Eden Park is regarded as the spiritual home of New Zealand rugby, and the Springboks face a daunting task against their arch rivals at the famous venue on Saturday.
There has been plenty of hype over Saturday’s fixture as the All Blacks have not lost at Eden Park since 1994 and they are currently on a 50-match unbeaten run at the ground – a record which includes 48 victories and two draws.
Apart from the home side’s outstanding record at the venue, South Africa are also determined to break a hoodoo at the ground, having last won a match there in 1937.
Some Springboks’ inexperience could prove costly
Speaking ahead of the eagerly anticipated clash at Eden Park, which many rugby enthusiasts have described it as the biggest match since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, Aplon feels that several players’ inexperience, especially replacements and particularly of New Zealand conditions, could prove costly this weekend.
“If it was Frans (Malherbe), if it was Kitsy (Steven Kiyshoff), Trevor (Nyakane), those guys, they’ve been in New Zealand, they’ve scrummed there,” he told the Behind The Ruck podcast.
“And also a lot of these boys haven’t played in New Zealand. It’s like they haven’t played in these conditions.
“Just like the All Blacks last year, when they came here (to South Africa), Wallace Sititi, those boys, Mark Tele’a, they haven’t played in South Africa. And that was an awakening for them.
“But now we’re going into the Lion’s so-called Den. Okay, Wilco (Louw) played there, Malcolm (Marx) played there, but Boan Venter might play, Marnus van der Merwe might play, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, they haven’t played Super Rugby.
‘They haven’t played in New Zealand’
“So all your so-called Bomb Squad who’s there, if it’s Sacha (Feinberg-Mngomezulu) or those boys, they haven’t played in New Zealand.”
Aplon also mentioned the late addition of Faf de Klerk to the Boks squad for the trip to New Zealand.
Although the experienced scrum-half was not selected to face the All Blacks at Eden Park, Aplon he feels his experience of New Zealand conditions played a role in him being recalled to the squad.
“It was an interesting call to bring Faf there, because Krappie (Morne van den Berg), did Krappie play Super Rugby? I don’t think so. So he hasn’t also played there.”
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