Compiled by Dylan Bettencourt
- The Boks need victory on Saturday to keep the four-Test series alive and have a chance to regain number one.
- Rassie Erasmus blamed his planning and substitutions after the All Blacks beat South Africa 33-16 at Ellis Park.
The Springboks are desperate to hit back against the All Blacks in Cape Town on Saturday.
South Africa lost the opening Test 33-16 at Ellis Park, ending their 12-match winning streak and allowing New Zealand to take the number one world ranking.
A Bok victory in the second Test would keep the four-match series alive and give them a chance to regain top spot.
South Africa created opportunities in the first match but struggled to turn them into points.
The Boks reached the All Blacks’ 22m more often and dominated parts of the set pieces but scored only one try.
New Zealand scored five.
Coach Rassie Erasmus said the team know how much Saturday’s Test means to supporters.
“We’re proud South Africans,” Erasmus said, The Citizen reported.
“We are desperate to win this game.”
Erasmus also took responsibility for mistakes in the first Test. He said some of his planning, substitutions and attempts to change things may have hurt the team.
“Maybe being too clever, making substitutions at the wrong time and perhaps over-analysing our plans,” he said. “That is not on the players and maybe down to bad planning.”
The Bok backline was also disrupted when Kurt-Lee Arendse left the field early with a head knock.
Erasmus insisted he was not simply protecting his players.
“A lot of the things we asked of them, they did,” he said. “The plan didn’t win the match for us, but the players certainly didn’t lose it for us either.”
The second Test kicks off at Cape Town Stadium at 5.10pm on Saturday.
Pictured above: Rassie Erasmus.
Image source: @Springboks
