SA have uphill battle against All Blacks
Springboks: Playing for a bit of pride
The frightening truth about the All Blacks is that they are not even operating at full strength. Some senior players have been absent
The Springboks head into the final match of their 2017 Rugby Championship campaign with a modest ambition. The All Blacks have already secured the title — their fifth in six seasons — with a round to spare. The Wallabies, who trail the Boks by three points in the standings, are favourites to beat Argentina in Mendoza this weekend and to finish the tournament in second place. Nobody should be betting on this Bok side to stun the All Blacks at Newlands and to finish the competition as runners-up. Indeed, the Boks would do well to avoid another substantial beating at the hands of their traditional foes. Coach Allister Coetzee admitted as much in the wake of the team’s disappointing 27-27 draw with Australia in Bloemfontein last week. The Boks will need to play out of their skins just to keep the All Blacks honest. Coetzee’s charges sustained what was then a record 57-15 loss to the All Blacks in Durban last year. More recently, the Boks suffered an even worse defeat — their heaviest te...
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