New Zealand lock Sam Darry has insisted the All Blacks can make the necessary adjustments to counter the Springboks' rolling maul ahead of next week's final Test in Baltimore.
The tourists suffered their second successive defeat in the series after going down 29-24 at FNB Stadium on Saturday, with maul defence emerging as a critical weakness. Malcolm Marx scored off a powerful 20-metre rolling maul in the 65th minute, a try that opened up a decisive lead for the hosts with 15 minutes remaining.
"Yes, definitely," Darry said when asked whether the All Blacks could improve their maul defence. "We did a good job on a few. It's about trying to find the balance between competing in the air and doing the job on the ground. It's something we've got to have a good look at and be able to understand more once we look at the clips. We know we can be better and we will be better."
The All Blacks had started brightly in Soweto, forcing Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu into a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on inside the opening quarter-hour. The sides were level at 12-12 at half-time, but New Zealand struggled to maintain their tempo after the interval and eventually succumbed to the Springboks' power game. Along with the scrum, the maul has been an area where the Kiwis have come second best throughout the series.
Darry predicted another difficult afternoon in Baltimore if his side fail to address the issue, with the Springboks likely to target the same weakness in the series decider.