Cobus Reinach says the Springboks have taken clear lessons from last Saturday's 33-16 defeat to the All Blacks at Ellis Park and that growth as a unit is the priority heading into Saturday's second Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Test at DHL Stadium in Cape Town, kicking off at 17h10.
The scrumhalf was direct in crediting the All Blacks for the victory while identifying the breakdown as the central area requiring attention. "They went after our breakdowns quite hard and tried to slow down the ball with throwing their legs and other things," Reinach said. "We felt the pressure and we knew we had to get the ball out somehow, and we have to work out ways around it."
Reinach, whose yellow card featured in the defeat, rejected the idea that New Zealand specifically targeted the Bok nines, framing the pressure instead as a broader breakdown strategy. The team's training in Johannesburg this week has focused on replicating that pressure and finding solutions.
"The review after a loss is never good, but it's learnings, and as long as we take the lessons and grow as a team, we will be in a good place," he said.
The squad travels to Cape Town on Wednesday afternoon after wrapping up their main training block, with the captain's run scheduled for Friday.
Reinach also paid tribute to two teammates reaching milestones this weekend — Pieter-Steph du Toit earning his 100th cap and Ox Nche his 50th. "Pieter-Steph playing his 100th is a huge milestone. He's been through knee and shoulder injuries and many other setbacks, and he is still here, showing up week in and week out," Reinach said. "I'll rather play with him than against him to be honest."