Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Stormers captain Siya Kolisi says his side will approach their fixtures against all New Zealand opposition this Super Rugby season with belief.
Register your interest for the British & Irish Lions tickets in South Africa 2021
The Capetonians will play four of the five Kiwi sides in the 2020 edition of the tournament, avoiding the Highlanders, while they take on the Chiefs and Crusaders away from home on their Australasian tour.
Fixtures against New Zealand opposition, particularly away from home, have been a major issue for South African sides in their efforts to make a run at the tournament playoffs.
Kolisi, though, believes that the Springboks' famous 36-34 win over the All Blacks in Wellington during the 2018 Rugby Championship was evidence that South African sides could overcome the mental battle of playing in New Zealand.
The Boks went on to win the 2019 Rugby World Cup, with that night in Wellington considered by many to be the beginning of what would be an incredible journey to glory.
Speaking out of Cape Town this week, Kolisi said that there was now a shift in mindset when it came to playing New Zealand opposition.
"All these games are about mentality," he said.
"You want to go there and say you're going to win all the games, I think that should be the attitude.
"Us winning that game in Wellington gave us that mentality.
"When we go on tour, we want to win every game. We don't want to aim for this one or that one.
"In most of the teams I've played for in the past, you already lose before you get off the plane because you're choosing which games you're going to win."
With the All Blacks having been stunned by England in the semi-final stage of the 2019 World Cup and with a host of senior players having either moved abroad or retired, there is a school of thought that New Zealand rugby could be in for a testing time in 2020.
Kolisi, though, has been around long enough to know better.
"I have played against New Zealand teams many times and they have always pitched up and I don't think much is going to change there.
"I think what will motivate the guys to play is that some have left so there are open spaces, and everyone will want to perform."
The Stormers will not have to wait long to test themselves against New Zealand opposition given that they host the Hurricanes in the first match if the tournament on February 1.
