All Blacks great Israel Dagg has warned Scott Robertson about tinkering with his side for the second match of their double-header against the Springboks.
New Zealand kept their Eden Park record intact by overcoming their great-rivals 24-17, putting them in a good spot in the Rugby Championship standings.
They will look to make it two in a row against South Africa when the teams face-off in Wellington this weekend.
Mass Springboks changes
Boks boss Rassie Erasmus has responded to the loss by making mass alterations, especially in the backline, and there may be a temptation for Robertson to do the same.
Having extended their unbeaten streak at the iconic Auckland ground, the All Blacks head coach could seek to give some other players an opportunity in the capital, but Dagg hopes that he sticks with a similar side.
“You have to start building continuity in selection, you have to start building those relationships. They got a result, I think it will be the wrong message to send to go out there and make some unforced changes for no reason whatsoever,” he said on Sport Nation’s Scotty and Izzy show.
“I think those players have deserved and earned the right to go out there and perform, and have another crack against the Springboks.”
There will have to be at least two enforced alterations due to the injuries sustained by Emoni Narawa and Codie Taylor.
Samisoni Taukei’aho will likely take over from Taylor at hooker, but the decision Robertson will make in the back three is less certain.
“One of those injuries is wing and there are a couple of solutions you can go,” Dagg said. “Could you go Will Jordan moving over to the wing, Rieko [Ioane] on the left and Damian McKenzie [at full-back] because of how well he went at the weekend?
“Or do you bring in a specialist winger, a Caleb Clarke or a Leicester Fainga’anuku? What a luxury when you’ve got two of those brutes coming in and having a crack.”
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Dagg’s selection preference
Dagg ultimately preferred to go with Caleb Clarke, keeping Jordan at 15 and having the Blues wing, who is back fit after injury, as a direct replacement for Narawa.
“I think Caleb Clarke’s skills and his strengths suit this Test match. I was talking to [ex-Springboks captain] Bobby Skinstad and he was talking about Caleb Clarke and those two games in South Africa when he absolutely dominated,” the former All Blacks back three star added.
“He destroyed the Springboks with the ball in the air and his big running. He’s a big body, so if they’re going to make that decision to keep Will at full-back and bring in another winger, I think Caleb Clarke is going to get the nod.
“He’s worked hard and I thought his last couple of games for Auckland were very, very good. He was busy and he’s worked on his game.”