Blair: All Blacks have plan to beat Boks

The All Blacks believe they have identified a way to beat the Springboks, but know they will have to make every attacking opportunity count at Ellis Park.

New Zealand attack coach Mike Blair has revealed the confidence within the All Blacks camp ahead of Saturday’s opening Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test, saying they have been building towards this moment for months.

“It’s really important to believe that you do,” Blair said when asked whether the All Blacks believe they have a game plan capable of beating the Boks.

“We’ve been walking towards this for quite some time. We know what South Africa are going to bring. They’ve got some real strengths in amongst their DNA, but we see some opportunities as well.”

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Blair knows the All Blacks cannot afford to waste those opportunities.

The Springboks’ defensive pressure, aerial prowess and ability to control territory means New Zealand are expecting fewer chances to attack than they might normally get.

“We’re aware that against South Africa we’re going to get less opportunities, so when we do get it, we’ve got to be right on,” Blair said.

“Our skill set and decision-making – it’s something we’re reviewing, talking about and training as well.”

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The All Blacks have spent the opening stages of their South African tour balancing preparation for the Tests with matches against the Stormers, Sharks and Vodacom Bulls.

Blair admitted that effectively coaching two squads during the tour has presented a significant challenge, but believes the experience has provided valuable preparation for the Test series.

“It’s been a real challenge. It takes a lot of time to prepare a team, to preview, review, but it’s great for the group,” he said.

“Really good that we’ve got this opportunity to feed back on real life situations. Rather than reviewing training, we can talk through where we need to improve, how we need to improve and what it’s going to take to get there.”

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Blair says the players have responded positively to the demands of the tour.

“It’s been a busy period but the players have been excellent throughout, lots of enthusiasm, lots of energy and we’re just looking forward to getting into the Test series now.”

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