Scott Robertson: Playing the Springboks away is the ‘greatest challenge’ as All Blacks brace for ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson speaks about 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson says a tour of South Africa is as “extreme” a test as exists in rugby and next year’s historic trip represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Confirmation that New Zealand will make their first extended trip since 1996 to the home of the world champions has Robertson counting the days to the chance to follow in the footsteps of Sean Fitzpatrick’s ‘Incomparables’.
“What a place to go to find out if you’re mentally and physically tough,” said a man still scarred from New Zealand’s heaviest ever defeat, by the Boks, just last month. And that was in Wellington.
Greatest challenge
“[Playing South Africa away] is the greatest challenge,” he added. “There’s nothing like driving to Ellis Park. That is as extreme as you get. Green everywhere, one of the most decorated, amphitheatres of sport you can get.
“You look back to ’96 when the greatest group of All Blacks went over there and by winning the series did something no-one else had done before. That was a massive moment. To get to do it 30 years on is pretty special.”
The world’s top two-ranked men’s rugby nations have agreed to meet every four years, alternating between South Africa and New Zealand, in a new series dubbed ‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’.
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry: Details of All Blacks’ eight-game tour of South Africa confirmed
“It’s a good tag line, isn’t it?” said Robertson, who admitted he had not paused to think what Australia makes of it.
“It’s a bit of marketing, but there’s more behind it than that because there’s so much historical rugby that’s been played between us and South Africa. There’s nothing else like it.
“A lot of historical matches, very political, very on the edge. So much history, so many battles. Everyone will buy into it. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for supporters and players.”
Whilst other countries cut, or severely restricted, sporting ties with South Africa in the apartheid period between 1948 and the early 1990s, New Zealand maintained a rugby link: touring in 1949, 1960, 1970 and 1976, hosting in 1956, 1965 and 1981.
Robertson remembers the most recent tour, a year after the All Blacks lost the 1995 World Cup final in Johannesburg to a Springbok team captained by Francois Pienaar and supported, so visibly, by the late Nelson Mandela, then President of South Africa.
History recalls that tournament as being key to the country’s post-apartheid reconciliation. By wearing a Springbok shirt, previously associated with white South Africa, Mandela brought together the Rainbow nation.
Stoked the rivalry
New Zealand’s extra-time defeat at Ellis Park was followed by unsubstantiated claims of intentional food poisoning. All of which only stoked the rivalry further. A year later the All Blacks succeeded where five previous New Zealand tours had failed by taking the series 2-1.
Ex-All Blacks boss claims ‘bookies arranged’ World Cup 1995 ‘poisoning’ to ensure Springboks win
“We’re so patriotic and love our rugby so much, so 1996 was an incredible moment for All Black rugby, an amazing moment in our history,” Robertson added.
“The timing of this tour, a year before the [2027] World Cup, gives us a chance to build depth in our squad and find out about ourselves.
“South Africa are as strong as they’ve ever been so every game will be tough, will feel like Test matches in their own right. It’s going to be a hell of a tour.”
