Nick Mallett believes the new-look Springboks team will not be lacking in motivation when they take on the All Blacks in Saturday’s Test in Wellington.
The Springboks have their backs to the wall in this year’s Rugby Championship as they have only won one of their three fixtures in the competition so far.
The world champions’ Rugby Championship campaign started with a shock 38-22 loss against Australia at Ellis Park in Johannesburg but they bounced back with a 30-22 victory over the Wallabies in the corresponding fixture against the Wallabies at DHL Stadium in Cape Town a week later.
However, the Springboks were dealt another setback last weekend when they suffered a 24-17 defeat in their eagerly anticipated clash with the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland.
Multiple changes from Rassie Erasmus
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus responded to that loss by ringing the changes to his starting line-up, especially his backline where he has dropped several established stars like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende from his matchday squad.
The aforementioned quartet’s positions have been taken by much younger players in Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Canan Moodie and Damian Willemse.
Despite being less experienced, Mallett is confident that the Springboks will be highly motivated to get their campaign back on track.
“They’re going to be certainly up for this game. So you don’t have to do too much motivational talking, I don’t think,” he told the Talking Boks podcast with Brenden Nel.
“But I think you’ve got to emphasise what an opportunity it is for us. It’s an opportunity for this team in so many ways. First of all, it’s an opportunity to right the ship, to get us back and in with a chance to defend our Rugby Championship title.
‘A massive opportunity for a lot of youngsters’
“If we win this weekend and we beat Argentina perhaps with a bonus point each, we’re in the mix. It’s a massive opportunity for a lot of youngsters who’ve been given a chance to prove that they can perform. And in a cauldron, in a very tense, difficult situation.
“But don’t look at it as something that’s fearful. It’s an opportunity to show your talents and to get it right. And I think it’s an opportunity because everyone talks about the attacking side, nature of our backline.
“But it’s a big opportunity for them also to prove that they can defend well, that it’s not just a De Allende, Kriel organised, a Pollard defensive line-up that can stop the All Blacks. They should be able to prove that they can as well.
“And then almost the most important thing, if we want to win this game, it’s an opportunity for our nine and 10 to prove that they can read a game and take the right decisions at the right time.
“So that’s (Cobus) Reinach, who’s got lots of experience, and Sacha, who hasn’t, but he’s got a lot of talent. So it’s a question of how are they going to pick at the right time, pass at the right time, hold onto the ball and take it into the tackle, play the forwards up, play behind the back, little cross-kick, little trip.
“All those decisions on nine and 10, they’ve got to make those decisions at the right time.
“So lots of opportunity and, you know, get out there and enjoy yourselves.”