Ardie Savea Vows to 'Smash' Siya Kolisi in Decisive 3rd Test at FNB Stadium

• All Blacks captain Ardie Savea issued a direct challenge to Springbok skipper Siya Kolisi ahead of Saturday's series decider in Johannesburg
• Savea referenced a tackle Kolisi landed on him in Cape Town, warning his close friend that the next encounter on the field would be different
• The All Blacks skipper also identified the breakdown as the defining battleground in what he called a 'big one' at the Soweto stadium

All Blacks captain Ardie Savea has put Springbok skipper Siya Kolisi on notice ahead of Saturday's series-deciding third Test at FNB Stadium, warning that their close off-field friendship will count for nothing once the match kicks off.

Speaking to journalists on Friday afternoon, Savea was asked about a tackle Kolisi landed on him during the second Test in Cape Town, which gave the Springbok captain an unofficial 1-0 edge in their personal head-to-head in the tackle stats. Savea's response was characteristically direct.

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"I told him, next time, tackle me frontwards, take me home," Savea said.

"I was lying on the ground, and all I could hear was my dad's voice telling me to get up. So I got up."

He was quick to draw the line between the two men's personal bond and what unfolds between the white lines.

"Siya's the same guy off the field; we get on well, but once you're on the field you're locked in, he's the enemy out there. That's footy, we're going to try and smash each other tomorrow, then jump on the plane again afterwards."

Series decider at FNB Stadium

With the three-Test series level at one apiece, Savea acknowledged the magnitude of what awaits both sides at the Johannesburg ground.

"I think we all know the importance and the spectacle of this game," he said.

"If you're thinking of it like State of Origin, it's game three, one apiece, here in Africa, so it's a big one. It's exciting to get to play at the Soweto stadium and challenge ourselves to get the win."

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Savea conceded that the All Blacks have struggled with slow starts across the series, noting that last week they "didn't quite deliver" on their stated goal of beginning well. He identified the breakdown as the area that New Zealand must address if it is to reverse that pattern.

Family tour adds personal meaning

Away from the rugby, Savea revealed that having his family present in South Africa throughout the tour has made the trip particularly meaningful.

When the whistle sounds on Saturday, however, Savea made clear that sentiment gives way to competition, with Kolisi standing squarely in his path.

Source: Briefly News