Springboks quick to
claim underdog tag
The
Springboks landed in Auckland Monday for "the ultimate challenge"
against the All Blacks next weekend, claiming they remain the underdogs despite
New Zealand losing talismanic skipper Richie McCaw.
New
Zealand's Richie McCaw is helped off the field during the Rugby Championship
match against South Africa on September 7, 2013. The Springboks landed in
Auckland Monday for "the ultimate challenge" against the All Blacks
next weekend, claiming they remain the underdogs despite New Zealand losing
McCaw.
Saturday's
clash between the two unbeaten sides in the Rugby Championship comes with the
Springboks on a high after an historic 38-12 win over Australia, their first
ever victory in Brisbane.
The
All Blacks, meanwhile, lacked cohesion when they beat Argentina 28-13 in
Hamilton at the weekend and suffered the loss of McCaw for up to five weeks
with a knee injury.
South
Africa coach Heyneke Meyer described the battle for supremacy in the
championship as the "ultimate challenge, and tougher than we've ever had
before".
Even though McCaw's
absence was a "big blow" for New Zealand, South Africa remained
"underdogs, but we like that tag," he said."I've got a lot of
respect for Richie, he's probably one of the best players that's ever played
the game.
"They've
still got great leaders, Kieran Read and a lot of other guys as well. But
there's only one Richie McCaw and it definitely will be a big blow for
them."
Meyer
also talked up McCaw's understudy, the 21-year-old Sam Cane, saying New Zealand
probably have the best openside flankers in world rugby."Every single New
Zealand openside in Super Rugby is a quality player. They've won a lot of games
without Richie as well and they won't change their game plan," he
said."We know what to expect, and we think the breakdown is going to be a
war like it always is, especially in New Zealand."
Cane
however will give away presence at the breakdown when he pits his 103-kilogram
(225 pounds) frame against the 112-kilogram Francois Louw. McCaw's listed
weight is 108 kilograms.
This
raises the possibility that the fit again Liam Messam could replace Steven
Luatua to add more muscle to the All Blacks loose forward trio.
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