NZ expect new Bok game plan

Johannesburg - The All Blacks expect an adjustment to the Springboks' game plan when the two sides meet for the third time in this year’s Tri-Nations competition at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

That was clear from media interviews with assistant coach Wayne Smith, lock Tom Donnely and scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan on Sunday.

The All Blacks have won all four of their six matches in the current tournament and need a single log point to win the Tri-Nations for the tenth time in 15 years.

“They’ll try and use the ball a little more,” he said to a question on how he envisaged the Boks will play on Saturday, adding they would have taken a lot from the Test in Wellington.

“They will look to play along those lines,” he said, "and the second half in Wellington will have been especially encouraging to the Boks.

“They’re going to be strong and will be hurting (after their two losses) and we are aware of that, but we are only in the early stages of our preparations this week and need to get ourselves over the travel and get into the game in the course of the week.”

The New Zealand trio also emphasised Saturday’s game was a huge occasion.

"Playing South Africa is always big," said Smith, "especially in view of the emotional aspects involved on Saturday.

He pointed to it being Bok captain John Smit’s 100th Test – only the second South African to achieve this – plus the crowd of 90 000 supporters and the fact that the Springboks have been hammered in the first two encounters against the All Blacks.

“All of those things will contribute on the day and it makes it a really, really big challenge for us.”

Smith and Cowan both indicated that the All Blacks aim to step-up their level of play considerably in view of the expected challenge from the Boks - despite the absence of star players like Fourie du Preez (injured), Bakkies Botha and Jaque Fourie (both suspended) from the home side.

The All Blacks expect Ricky Januarie to start at scrumhalf after the injury to Ruan Pienaar who filled in for Du Preez – out for the year - in the Boks’ last outing. They have very little knowledge of Francois Hougaard’s performances as a scrumhalf and Smith said they were trying to source video material of his matches for the Blue Bulls as a scrumhalf in a number of their Currie Cup matches.

The Springbok side for the Test will be announced on Tuesday.