Dave Rennie praises All Blacks’ fightback after Springboks level series in Cape Town thriller
Dave Rennie had no complaints about the Springboks making a late team change and instead praised the All Blacks’ character after they pushed the world champions to the brink in a thrilling 33-26 defeat in Cape Town.
New Zealand coach Dave Rennie did not take issue with the Springboks reshuffling their lineup an hour before the kickoff, indicating it did not impact his team in the 33-26 loss at Cape Town's DHL Stadium. Rennie commended his side's resilience after they narrowly missed to level the second Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Test, ultimately resulting in a 1-1 series draw with two Tests remaining.
Despite scoring two late tries, the Boks maintained their defense to thwart New Zealand's efforts in the final minutes. "When you announce the team on Monday, there's a likelihood of changes," Rennie stated. "So, we thought little of the team announced on Monday because there's a chance it could alter on Saturday." Cheslin Kolbe entered the fray, replacing Kolisi and Handré Pollard in the lineup, with Rennie affirming that the team's strategy would remain consistent regardless of the changes.
Captain Ardie Savea, who sustained an injury after a strong hit from Kolisi, expressed pride in his team's fight spirit, likening their match against the Springboks to a World Cup final. "It's always a tough game against the Springboks, and they started strong. We couldn't let them take the lead," Savea remarked. He acknowledged the pain from Kolisi's tackle but emphasized the team's determination to fight back.
The FNB Stadium in Soweto will host the final Test on Saturday, concluding the rivalry with the series level at 1-1.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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