Jamie Wall argued on The Ruck that this four-test tour is, for New Zealand, a bigger deal than a World Cup — because winning a series in South Africa is the one thing great All Black teams have historically been unable to do, and it has taken 30 years just to get another crack at it. With Dave Rennie's side coming in as underdogs against the back-to-back world champions, Wall and Alex Lowe were clear that the first test at Ellis Park is effectively must-win: losing it would leave the All Blacks needing to win two or three on the bounce, which Lowe called "an Everest task." On selection, Lowe flagged the Springbok decision to start Wilco Louw over Thomas du Toit as a deliberate set-piece statement, and called the Damián de Allende vs Jordie Barrett head-to-head at 12 "the two best by some distance in the world" going head-to-head — while Wall pointed to All Black discipline and the opening 15 minutes as the likely tell for how the whole game unfolds.
Underdogs in Johannesburg: Why the All Blacks must win test one
Wall and Lowe make the case that All Black discipline and the opening quarter at Ellis Park will decide not just the first test but the shape of the entire series — and that for New Zealand, winning in South Africa eclipses even a World Cup.
Wall and Lowe make the case that All Black discipline and the opening quarter at Ellis Park will decide not just the first test but the shape of the entire series — and that for New Zealand, winning in South Africa eclipses even a World Cup.
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