Freedom Cup and Rugby Championship hopes on the line for Boks in Wellington clash against All Blacks

Is it only me that enjoys that tense scene in a movie, where the hero is sitting across from the villain, each with their hand of cards, and the time comes for that final bet?

It’s around this time that one or the other goes “all in” as they slide their pile of chips into the centre of the table. The opponent, without flinching, calls, and the suspense peaks in those anxiety-laden moments before the cards are revealed.

Which hand will win? Is the hero gambling, or is he confident that he’s read his opponent correctly? The bad guy confidently flashes his hand and lays his mitts on the chips, but the hero stops him, places his cards face up, and slowly reveals the trump card in his hand … much to the relief of the movie fans.

So the question is, with the All Blacks and the Springboks facing each other across the field of battle, which team is gambling, and which has the upper hand?

Is the fresh backline a gamble?

Some would argue that the Boks are gambling with a fresh, green-looking backline, but Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and captain Siya Kolisi both shrugged off concerns surrounding the new look Bok backline, which many regard as youthful.

“A lot of the players in the backline have been in the system for a long time, and we think they are good combinations,” said Stick.

“Last week we had two soft moments early in the match, and we’ve learned from that. So, this week we must be at our best for the full 80 minutes.

“We also need to make sure that we are clinical in our execution and that we convert our chances into points.”

Kolisi shared these sentiments and added, “There’s a good mixture of players in this team. Most of the guys have played here before, some of whom have won two World Cups, so it’s not as though it is a completely new team.

“I’m keen to see this side in action, and I think some of the new faces will bring a different skillset to the match, which is exciting.”

Lessons were learned

The coach and captain admitted on Friday that they had learned many lessons from last weekend’s 24-17 defeat against New Zealand in Auckland as they gear up for Saturday’s Test against their archrivals in Wellington, with Stick saying they have to be at their best for the full 80 minutes.

A victory for the Springboks would see them retain the Freedom Cup against the All Blacks, which they won last year for the first time since 2009, while a win would also see them stay in the race to defend their Castle Lager Rugby Championship title and reclaim the top spot on the world rankings.

Asked if this match had a similar feeling to the last two encounters between the sides in Wellington – which the Boks won 36-34 in 2018 and drew 16-16 in 2019 – Kolisi said: “I wouldn’t say so because this is a big game in itself for both teams, and we really want to stay in the Rugby Championship title race.

“It’s also fantastic for some players to get an opportunity like this, and I believe it will give them confidence. But this is a very different game from 2018.”

Expecting intensity

The Bok skipper, who will earn his 96th Test cap when he takes the field, admitted that while there were some similarities between this match and playing a Rugby World Cup final, it was a different prospect altogether.

“It’s going to be an intense match and will be important for us to keep calm and composed, which is almost the same as one would expect in a World Cup final,” said Kolisi.

“That said, there’s enough motivation to win this game, so our preparation is the same as it would be for every Test match. We have high standards, and we want to deliver a good performance that our country and supporters can be proud of.”

The match kicks off at 9.05am (SA time) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.