South Africa scrum-half Cobus Reinach said the team needs to better counter New Zealand’s pressure at the breakdown and move the ball more quickly in order to win the second Test match in Cape Town. Channel NewsAsia reports.
Defeat in Johannesburg
In the first match of the four-Test series, held in Johannesburg, New Zealand defeated South Africa 33:16 and moved to the top of the World Rugby rankings.
The reigning world champions from South Africa repeatedly entered their opponents’ 22-metre area and created try-scoring opportunities. At the same time, errors under pressure and New Zealand’s solid defence allowed the Springboks to score only one try at Ellis Park.
In the final 11 minutes of the match, two South African players, including Reinach, received yellow cards and were sent to the sin bin. The team spent a significant part of the closing stretch with 13 players against 15.
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Working on ball distribution
According to Reinach, the New Zealanders were not necessarily targeting the scrum-halves personally — him and Grant Williams, whom he replaced. Instead, they applied active pressure at the breakdown and tried to slow the ball down, including through kicking.
Reinach noted that South Africa felt this pressure and must practise response options in training in order to improve its play in such situations.
The third match of the series will take place in Johannesburg on September 5, while the final game will be held a week later in Baltimore, United States.
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