Steve Hansen sees the All Blacks as genuine series contenders after their Ellis Park win, but warns that a 5% mental shift either way can swing a Test — and South Africa will be coming with everything in Cape Town. Hansen reads the Pollard recall as a deliberate tactical pivot: less ambition in the corners, more scoreboard pressure through the boot and a stronger bench impact. He's confident Erasmus will stay composed despite the changes, but believes the All Blacks' real challenge is sustaining the same desperation that delivered the Johannesburg result against a Springbok side that will be a, in his words, 'different beast' this week.
AnalysisSpringboksPlanet Rugby
Hansen: All Blacks must 'get desperate' to hold their Cape Town nerve
Hansen breaks down the tactical implications of Pollard's recall and why the All Blacks' biggest threat in Cape Town is their own mental reset rather than anything South Africa will throw at them.
- New Zealand
- Springboks
- Cape Town Stadium
- Handré Pollard
- Rassie Erasmus
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