All Blacks v Springboks: Rennie says four-Test series will be tougher than a World Cup

All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has warned that facing the Springboks across four Tests will be “a lot tougher than a World Cup” as the two sides prepare for a highly anticipated series.

The first Test will take place at Ellis Park on Saturday, with both camps now entering the final week of preparation. The scale of the challenge has prompted Rennie to suggest that the series will provide a more demanding examination than the Rugby World Cup itself.

“It’s great, isn’t it? Both sides will be about a year out from a World Cup by the time we finish the series, so we’ll certainly learn a lot while we’re here,” Rennie noted.

Rennie, who became All Blacks coach earlier this year, expects the four matches to give a clear indication of where his team stands against the reigning world’s leading opposition. The Rugby World Cup in Australia is just over a year away, making the series an important test of New Zealand’s progress.

The opening match is also the latest chapter in one of international rugby’s most significant rivalries. The intensity around the contest has increased as the teams move closer to Saturday’s meeting, with both sides spending the final days refining their plans.

Rennie anticipates that South Africa will rely on the methods that have brought them success, particularly in the scrum. He believes the set piece will be a decisive feature throughout the series but is confident New Zealand can compete in that area.

“You play to your strengths. They’ll see [scrums] as a strength. I think our scrum will bar up,” Rennie said.

The All Blacks coach said the Springboks’ ability to build pressure and convert it into points would be one of the biggest threats facing his side. South Africa have regularly forced opponents into difficult positions through repeated pressure, particularly when penalties begin to accumulate.

“I think what they’ve been good at is applying a lot of pressure.

“Back-to-back penalties… put you in a corner.

“They’re the best in the world at turning that pressure into points down there. They lead a lot of key metrics against all the other teams in the world.”

That places a significant responsibility on New Zealand to maintain discipline and execute accurately. Rennie said his players would have little margin for error against a Springboks side that is highly effective at punishing mistakes.

“Our discipline will be really important, our accuracy will be really important, our set-piece will be massive,” Rennie noted.

The series will give both teams four opportunities to measure themselves against one another before the next World Cup, while also offering an early indication of their readiness for the tournament in Australia.

“We get an opportunity to measure up against the best in the world, so the boys are looking forward to it.”