All Blacks expect aerial test as rain threatens Durban clash

Luke Jacobson will captain the All Blacks for the first time when New Zealand face the Sharks in Durban on Tuesday night, with wet weather expected to add another challenge to the contest.

The 28-year-old flanker believes the Sharks are likely to make frequent use of the high ball, following the approach that caused New Zealand problems in their opening match of the tour against the Stormers in Cape Town.

The All Blacks secured a 38-21 victory over John Dobson’s side, but their handling of contestable kicks was a clear weakness. New Zealand won possession from only one of the Stormers’ seven kicks and did not complete a clean catch from any of them.

Jacobson expects the Sharks to target the same area at Kings Park, particularly if the forecast rain arrives.

“The top level of South African rugby has a really good kicking game, a really good chasing game,” Jacobson reflected.

“I don’t think we’re going to get anything different to what we saw last week in that area,” he noted.

New Zealand have nevertheless decided not to abandon their preferred attacking approach. Jacobson said the All Blacks would continue to look to play with the ball in hand, while accepting that difficult conditions would place greater demands on the skills of every player.

“It’s just a huge onus on the individual skill set and backing yourself,” Jacobson said.

“We’re professional athletes; this is what we’re trained for.

“We back ourselves to be able to perform under any conditions.”

The Sharks are not expected to rely solely on kicking, despite the possibility of rain in Durban. Their head coach, JP Pietersen, confirmed on Monday that his team had prepared for the conditions but still intended to attack when opportunities arose.

“There’ll probably be more kicking,” he acknowledged.

“But we’ll see. What the All Blacks put themselves in on ball possession, so we’ll see if they’re going to hold the ball against the conditions.

“And we also want to have a go.

“Some things we’ve been working on in pre-season. So we’ll see how the conditions are, if it’s raining or not.

“But we’ve got a plan.”

The match will give Jacobson his first opportunity to lead the All Blacks, while New Zealand will aim to build on their win over the Stormers. Their performance at the high ball will be closely watched, with the combination of South Africa’s kicking and chasing game, and the forecast weather, potentially putting pressure on the visitors’ decision-making and handling.

The Sharks’ preparations have also included the experience of former New Zealand centre Ma’a Nonu, who has been helping the Durban side’s younger players prepare for the challenge of facing the All Blacks.

New Zealand’s meeting with the Sharks comes amid wider debate around the pace of rugby, after the All Blacks coach criticised time-wasting and called for teams to be allowed to play.