Winning the first Test 33-16 of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, over South Africa on Saturday in Johannesburg, does not guarantee anything for the All Blacks.
Coach Dave Rennie said, “We’ve got a leg up, but it doesn’t guarantee anything against what we know is such a good side.
“Next week’s going to be just as tough.
“It was an absolute arm wrestle at 16-19; we were under the pump and the boys barred up. We defended and defended, then we were clinical, and we got our opportunities. I’m really proud.
“It was a massive effort, a great result for us, but, we’re wary of the response we’ll get next week.”
Rennie said some of the All Blacks’ scrum issues were not helped by the fact that loosehead Ethan de Groot had been ill overnight and had left the captain’s run early to go back to bed, but the impact at scrum time off the bench was solid in the last 30 minutes.
“We’ll always debate scrums, every team does, when you get penalised. You question they’re walking around. They got penalised for walking around eventually [in front of the All Blacks’ posts] and that was probably a key moment in the game.”
Asked about where the win rated on his coaching CV, Rennie said it wasn’t about him. He said the staff had worked hard with the team. It was tough to win at Ellis Park against the No1 team in the world, so he was proud of the outcome.
“But we’re in our infancy where we’re still getting our heads around exactly how we want to play, and growing. We have some good young men coming through and it was nice to get a result tonight.”
The defensive effort was also crucial.
“Tana [Umaga] and his defence group have done a great job. We’ve fot a lot of guys working hard for each other. It was a big defensive effort.”
The side was guilty of giving away avoidable penalties, which was frustrating, especially in the timing of driving at lineout ball takers.
“We kept giving them minutes into the 22m, where South Africa are the best in the world. [Statistically] they score five and a half points every entry and tonight it was 0.9, whereas we were 3.7. That’s a big stat where we were able to convert when we got down there, and they weren’t.”
Captain and No8 Ardie Savea said he was proud of the team for the composure shown, and the exposure of younger players to playing in South Africa was invaluable.
“To come away with the good win, a tough win, at Ellis Park, will do a lot to their confidence and understanding of what it takes to win at Ellis Park. It’s pretty special.
“I also want to mention, and shout out to Damian [de Allende] as well in his 100th game. He is a special player, but more so a special human being.”
Savea said he was nervous when a TMO call was made to check a potential head knock in a tackle with rival No8 Jasper Wiese.
“I was happy with the decision. I was nervous, but they made the decision and it worked in our favour.”
Rennie added to Savea’s response, saying it was technically the right call. The footage showed that when Savea made the tackle on Wiese’s shoulder, Wiese’s head came forward.
“That means that first impact is on the body. If the head goes back, first impact is straight on the head. It’s good refereeing and good to see at this level.”
Fullback Damian McKenzie said the All Blacks will keep their feet on the ground.
“Test rugby’s not easy and to win at Ellis Park is no mean feat. We have to enjoy that, but then move on quickly.
“We’ve got another game on Tuesday against the Lions, and the Test at Cape Town. South Africa is too good a team to just sit back; they’ll throw everything at us next week.”
McKenzie enjoyed watching the way the All Blacks pack turned their scrum around in the second half.
“I don’t know too much of the technical stuff about the scrums, but South Africa have got an outstanding set piece and for our boys, and our bench, to come on and lock down the scrum and our lineout was pleasing.
“To be able to match them tonight and getting some reward was pleasing from a back’s point of view.”
The All Blacks still needed to be better at defusing the Springboks’ high balls. They were also pleased to be only one point down at the break.
“We knew we still had opportunities to play and were able to do that early in the second half. We had to stay patient, trust our game plan and get back to our work.
“We play with a lot of optimism to create opportunities. We were able to do that.”