Mike Blair's message ahead of the decider at FNB Stadium is essentially: we see what Erasmus is doing, and we're not playing along. Blair acknowledges the pattern — the Monday announcements, the late swaps, the pre-kick-off front row shuffle — but says the All Blacks are preparing for the Springbok system and DNA rather than specific individuals, precisely because they've learned those individuals can change right up until kick-off. It's a sensible adaptation to Erasmus's deliberate selection fog. On the attacking side, Blair points to meaningful growth between Tests one and two: ball-in-play time jumped from 28 to 37 minutes, and multi-phase sequences of six-plus phases went from two to eight — numbers that suggest the All Blacks are finding more traction against the Bok defensive system. Blair flags the ability to 'balance their game' as key, hinting they won't rely solely on tempo but will look for different ways to fatigue a Springbok pack that's already absorbed two brutal Tests.