Dave Rennie has warned his squad to expect a fierce Springbok response in Cape Town next weekend after New Zealand edged to a 33-16 first-Test victory at Ellis Park on Saturday — a scoreline he was quick to put in context.
"There was nothing in that game," Rennie said. "I know the score might sound convincing, but it was an absolute arm wrestle at 19-16."
South Africa controlled large portions of the opening hour before conceding a scrum penalty at a critical attacking moment while trailing 19-16. From there, the All Blacks converted their opportunities clinically while the Springbok attack stalled. Rennie pointed to the red-zone efficiency gap as the defining statistic of the night. "South Africa are the best in the world — they score five-and-a-half points every entry, and tonight I think it was 0.9, whereas we were 3.7. I reckon that's big stats."
Despite the margin, Rennie acknowledged the Boks came close to turning the tide on multiple occasions in the second half. "There were a couple of times where they could have hurt us and we managed to get people back and create a turnover." He also singled out the final ten minutes before halftime as pivotal, with his side absorbing sustained pressure without conceding.
Captain Ardie Savea credited the team's composure at pressure moments, particularly the scrum penalty that shifted momentum. "We talked about being composed under tight moments, and you can just see the boys really present in the moment."
Rennie is under no illusions about the challenge ahead, despite holding a 1-0 series lead. "We've got a leg up — obviously it doesn't guarantee anything. What we know is they're such a good side, next week's going to be just as tough."
Before the second Test at DHL Newlands, the All Blacks face the Lions at Ellis Park on Tuesday — a fixture that adds to the workload of a squad already managing injury concerns from Saturday night.