De Groot, Lord could boost All Blacks set-piece in Soweto
The All Blacks could receive a much-needed boost to their struggling lineouts and scrums in the third Test against the Springboks.
Ethan de Groot, a 45-cap player, and Josh Lord, an 18-cap player, could potentially enhance the set-piece performance of the All Blacks during their upcoming third Test against the Springboks in Soweto. The match commences at 5:10 PM, with the series currently tied at 1-1. The eventual victor in Soweto stands a chance to clinch the series outright, while the losing team must focus on securing a draw in Baltimore.
De Groot and Lord clashed during the 33-16 victory at Ellis Park two weeks ago, both sustaining head knocks and subsequently missing the 33-26 defeat in Cape Town due to HIA protocols. Referee Angus Gardner's officiating of the scrum and All Black claims that the Springboks 'walked around' the scrum have tarnished the image of that game.
However, the Springboks dominated the lineouts in the first Test, winning all their own throw-ins and stealing three All Blacks lineouts. Springbok lock Ruan Nortjé remains ambitious for the third Test, while All Blacks assistant coach Tamati Ellison confirmed that de Groot and Lord trained well and could return for the match. Ellison emphasized that the vast crowd at the 87,436-capacity stadium would require the team to rely on non-verbal signaling and trust among the 15 players to execute their set-piece effectively.
Ellison added that simplifying the message, particularly in specific areas like lineout calling and play calling, would be crucial for the All Blacks to navigate the challenging environment.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
