Dave Rennie Takes Subtle Swipe at Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks As All Blacks Prepare to Face Wallabies
- All Blacks coach Dave Rennie named a 34-man squad for the two-Test Bledisloe Cup series against Australia in October
- New Zealand head into the series without captain Ardie Savea, who is sidelined for the rest of the season following shoulder surgery
- The All Blacks are looking to reverse a run of three successive defeats to the Springboks ahead of clashes with an unbeaten Wallabies side
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has declared his side will field its strongest available squad for the upcoming two-Test Bledisloe Cup series against Australia, refusing to follow the rotation approach taken by South Africa's Rassie Erasmus during last weekend's Rugby Championship fixture.
Erasmus made 13 changes to his starting XV for the Springboks' 42-38 defeat to Australia in Perth on Sunday. Rennie, speaking after naming a 34-man squad, stylishly aimed Erasmus' Springboks for a markedly different stance ahead of Tests at Eden Park in Auckland on 10 October and Stadium Australia in Sydney on 17 October.
"We're still big on earning the right to play and so the Bledisloe Cup matches are important to us and important to the Wallabies as well," Rennie said. "So we'll pay them the respect they deserve concerning picking the best squad possible."
Key absences ahead of the series
New Zealand will be without skipper Ardie Savea, whose season has ended after shoulder surgery, while flyhalf Ruben Love also misses out through injury.
The All Blacks arrive at the series carrying additional pressure following three consecutive defeats to South Africa in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry. Their opponents, meanwhile, have not lost under coach Les Kiss in five Tests, making Australia a formidable proposition.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Rennie warns of tough battle at Eden Park
Rennie, who previously coached the Wallabies between 2020 and 2022, is acutely aware of how challenging Eden Park can be for visiting sides. New Zealand have not lost at the Auckland venue since 1994.
Reflecting on his time in charge of Australia, Rennie was candid about what it takes to win there.
"I never felt there was a lack of mindset or determination," he said. "In those sorts of games you have got to be at your best and win key moments."
He added that the landscape of international rugby makes margins even tighter. "International rugby now is tight; there are so many good sides that are all pretty close. You have to get it right and win those key moments. So we are expecting that to be a tough battle in Auckland."
Springboks veterans face another 2027 question
Briefly News previously reported that Jake White had raised concerns about the physical demands being placed on several experienced Springboks during the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
The 2007 World Cup-winning coach questioned how much more players such as Malcolm Marx, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi could give after a demanding run of Tests.
PAY ATTENTION: Stay informed and follow us on Google News!
Source: Briefly News
