Springbok assistant coach Felix Jones says both South Africa and New Zealand will arrive fully prepared for Saturday's first Test of the Castle Lager Double Malt Rugby's Greatest Rivalry at Ellis Park, describing the encounter as a meeting of two teams with clear and established game plans.
Jones identified two recurring concerns from the All Blacks' warm-up matches against the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls: illegal breakdown technique and effective maul defence. "One was around the breakdown, where they experienced tucked shoulders going in, which the franchises weren't happy with, and a reversed-arm non-wrapping action," he said. The franchises also expressed frustration at being unable to convert strong lineout positions into maul tries, with Jones pointing to deliberate obstruction — pulling, leg-lifting and going off their feet — as the cause. "We're all for the physical side of the game. We just want it to be within the laws."
On All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie, Jones noted a reputation that preceded him: "The word 'brutal' follows his coaching, and there are some amazing elements to how quickly they get their ruck speed going." Jones added that the Boks had also identified a significant tactical shift in New Zealand's approach — reduced kicking volume, more ball-in-hand rugby, higher phase counts and greater possession time — trends that were evident across all three franchise matches.
Jones was unequivocal about the need for a strong start, citing the 2024 Auckland Test as a cautionary reference. "We saw that in Auckland last year where they scored early and we had to grind our way back. So we know we have to start with a huge amount of intensity. It's almost a given when you play New Zealand that they start fast."
The Ellis Park Test is the first of four consecutive fixtures between the sides. The series continues at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on 29 August, returns to Johannesburg's FNB Stadium on 5 September, and concludes at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on 12 September. All four Tests are live on SuperSport.