All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan has named three areas his pack must fix before the first Test against South Africa, and called the Springbok scrum the best in the world.
Speaking to Sky Sport’s The Breakdown after Saturday’s 50-19 win over the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, Ryan said the attacking breakdown was the clearest gap.
“We’re missing a few inside cleans,” he said. “So we’ve got a little bit of work to do there as we head into next week.”
He also flagged first-phase turnovers, noting the Springboks are exceptional in that area, and said a couple of set-piece tries conceded against the Bulls would need tidying up quickly.
On the defensive side he was more positive, pointing to two men in the tackle and double shoulders across the recent matches as evidence the pack is slowing opposition ball.
Ryan was blunt about the tour opener. New Zealand were on their heels in patches against the Stormers, he said, before adjusting for a Bulls side he described as having a good balance of width and carrying around the corner.
The scrum, the area under most scrutiny before the tour, took a step forward at Loftus in his view. He said the pack had spent a fortnight working on reaction time and getting set.
“We know and we will acknowledge this week that they are the best in the world,” Ryan said of the Springbok scrum. “But we’ll also acknowledge that we should hit this game with some confidence.”
Former All Blacks hooker James Parsons, on the same programme, said Ryan’s admission about inside cleans explained why Luke Jacobson matters so much to the side.
The inside clean is what generates quick ball, Parsons said, and missing them early in a Test would put New Zealand on the back foot before they had started.
Former prop Angus Ta’avao read the scrum comment as confidence rather than concession. Ryan had acknowledged South Africa set the standard, he said, but that did not mean the All Blacks were not intending to take them on there.
Justin Marshall, reporting from Pretoria, said the messaging out of the camp was measured. Dave Rennie was satisfied but not happy, and there was no overconfidence in the group.
Against this Springbok side, Marshall said, the All Blacks know they have to be close to perfect.
New Zealand have won all three tour matches, beating the Stormers, the Sharks and the Bulls. Rennie names his side on Thursday.
Kick-off at Ellis Park is 17:10 SAST on Saturday 22 August, the first of four Tests.
Jason Ryan and the All Blacks pack: what he said
Who is Jason Ryan?
The All Blacks forwards coach. He works with the scrum, lineout and breakdown, and previously coached the Crusaders pack.
What did Jason Ryan say about the Springbok scrum?
That South Africa are the best in the world at it, and that the All Blacks would acknowledge as much this week, while still going into the Test with confidence after an improved scrum performance against the Bulls.
What are the All Blacks working on before the first Test?
Inside cleans at the attacking breakdown, first-phase turnovers, and the set-piece tries they conceded against the Bulls. Our piece on how they plan to attack the Springbok blitz defence covers why the breakdown decides it.
Jason Ryan, James Parsons, Angus Ta’avao and Justin Marshall were speaking on Sky Sport’s The Breakdown. Match detail via the All Blacks match report.
