Springboks must handle All Blacks pressure at the breakdown, Reinach says

The South African rugby team, the Springboks, aim to move past negative sentiments often associated with a loss, especially after a defeat. However, they acknowledge that their countrymen's concerns stem from their pride in the team and it is their ultimate objective to bring joy to the nation. On Saturday, in the second Test against New Zealand's All Blacks in Rugby's most intense rivalry, the Springboks, who are the world champions, will once again face their home supporters at DHL Stadium in Cape Town, seeking to set the record straight after their 33-16 loss in the previous match.

Cobus Reinach, a Springbok scrumhalf who received two yellow cards in the match, mentioned that the team has been working diligently to address the mistakes made during the 33-16 defeat to their rivals. Now, it's crucial for them to apply those lessons as they prepare for the second encounter. "You try to avoid the things that are said (after a loss), but sometimes you can't really," Reinach said.

"Your mom sends you something that was said about you, or your brother asks what you were thinking when you made a mistake. But it's because the people care that they get upset when we don't perform well. That is the care we play for." Reinach explained that while the team knows what areas they must improve upon, their internal reality differs from external opinions.

They believe in their abilities and their path forward. "The team knows what we must work on. If we continue to believe in each other as a team and in ourselves, it doesn't matter what people say from the outside," Reinach added. The Springboks dominated for the first 60 minutes of their previous clash against the All Blacks, but they lost their momentum in the final 20 minutes, allowing New Zealand to dominate.

Reinach and loose forward Marco van Staden received yellow cards in the final ten minutes, putting the Springboks under immense pressure. The All Blacks also posed a significant challenge at the breakdown, particularly for Reinach and starting scrumhalf Grant Williams. Reinach acknowledged their pressure but stressed that the team must analyze this aspect and devise a better strategy.

"They put us under pressure and made us do things that led to the yellow cards. So credit to them, they did a good job there. It's now for us to look at that and see how we can defend that better or make a different plan," Reinach said. "But ja, a review after a loss is never good, but there are learnings. As long as we learn as a team, grow as a team and get our game better, we're in a good place."