Michael Cheika: ‘Pivotal series’ awaits Scott Robertson’s All Blacks after Springboks’ ‘domination’ of international rugby
All Blacks fly-half in action against the Springboks and an inset of ex-Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.
Former Wallabies and Argentina boss Michael Cheika believes that the two Test matches against the Springboks in New Zealand will be pivotal for the All Blacks.
Rassie Erasmus’ charges arrive in New Zealand for rounds three and four of the Rugby Championship, with the rivalry hosted at the famous Eden Park in Auckland and Sky Stadium in Wellington.
The Springboks hold a four-game winning streak over the All Blacks, beating them twice in 2023, including the World Cup final, before Scott Robertson’s side lost twice in South Africa last year.
Cheika believes that ending that streak but also producing on two fronts against the Boks will be crucial for the All Blacks ahead of the bigger tour next year and going forward.
Huge series
South Africa are set to host Robertson’s men in a five-Test match series next year, with the All Blacks also scheduled to face the local franchises, with the finer details of the tour dubbed ‘The Greatest Rivalry’ still yet to be confirmed.
“It’s going to be huge,” Cheika said of the two Tests on the DSPN podcast with Martin Devlin.
“I love watching New Zealand play, I hate playing against them just quietly because they’re so good, right.
“I’ve had a huge respect for a long time, a huge respect as much as I’ve had a battle with them over the years on and off the field.
“A huge respect for the way they play the game, always have since I started watching them play.”
Cheika says that Robertson’s side can get a mental edge for next year’s series by beating the Boks with the All Blacks’ style of play but by matching them physically too.
“I feel like it’s a really pivotal series for New Zealand against South Africa, those two matches in the championship,” he added.
“South Africa have had the domination over everyone over these last few years. It’s a real opportunity for New Zealand on home soil to take them on but in two ways.
“Not just in the New Zealand way of playing footy, because that’s a very different style to the South African way, but also a little bit in their own way, like take them on in the physicality stakes, because that platform will give them the confidence, perhaps, to then to go ‘right off the back of this we come up around them again, we got their number’ for that longer series next year.
“It’s going to be an important series for them. Both the two matches this year and also the bigger series they will be playing next year.”
