Kooki and tour captain Cody Taylor are ready to start his first match in the 'Greatest Rugby Rivalry' for the All Blacks in the final friendly match on Saturday against the Bulls before the opening test match at Ellis Park.
A strong performance in the first 40 minutes at a high level is considered the last element that the All Blacks want to add to their 'Greatest Rugby Rivalry' puzzle when they meet the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.
Despite two confident victories over the Stormers and Sharks, the New Zealanders failed to quickly reach the required pace in the first half, which caused regret for head coach Dave Rennie regarding their slow and error-prone starts.
They will have the opportunity to correct this situation during the match against the Bulls in Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (starting at 19:00) — this is their last friendly match before the first test match against the Springboks at Ellis Park next week.
In the previous two matches, comfortable wins in coastal games were secured by strong performances in the last 20 minutes. However, the altitude should test the All Blacks differently, and this may also affect their ability to start the game quickly.
There is no doubt that the Kiwis aim for high-tempo matches in South Africa, and a strong start against the Bulls should complete their matches against United Rugby Championship teams.
After the 54-0 victory over the Sharks on Tuesday, Rennie was pleased, but the coach is looking for higher quality first 40 minutes, as he criticized errors that disrupted their momentum.
Cody Taylor returns from injury and will lead the team in Pretoria. Rennie kept the six-meters who started against the Sharks and brought back many players who participated in the Cape Town match.
Rennie stated: 'This is also our last friendly match before the first test match against the Springboks, so it is an important game for us.' He added: 'There is healthy competition for spots in the national team, so this is another opportunity for players to prove themselves in selection. The Bulls consistently are the best franchise in South Africa, making finals in the United Rugby Championship four out of the last five years.'
The coach noted: 'Loftus Versfeld is one of the most formidable rugby stadiums in the world, so we are aware of the challenge ahead, and we are happy about that.'
