Strategic importance of the match between Bulls and All Blacks before the test series

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.'

All Blacks coach Dave Rennie expresses a desire for referees to speed up the pace of matches during the biggest rugby rivalry. However, critics note that before complaining about the slow pace of the game, the coach should address the team's internal issues.

Despite the New Zealanders stating their desire to play at a fast pace, an analysis of the first two matches of the tour in the great rivalry shows that the game against the Springboks presents a completely different challenge. The New Zealand team faced two United Rugby Championship (URC) teams that were in pre-season form, and it is natural that the pace of the game against the world's second-ranked team eventually caught up with them in the second half of both encounters.

Nevertheless, the Boks players are prepared for high-intensity matches lasting over 80 minutes, and Rennie's team should be ready for a tense confrontation in the first match at Ellis Park stadium. This could become a psychological game on the part of the All Blacks coach, as New Zealand looked more composed in the last few matches between these sides when intensity increased.

Therefore, the comments of the All Blacks head coach after the first two tour matches should be viewed with caution, considering the upcoming match at altitude on Saturday, and then the match against the Springboks next week. This game will show whether the visitors can maintain the pace when their scrum is closely scrutinized by the world champions, and their rolling maul works in reverse, similar to what happened against the Stormers in the first match.

In the previous match, both teams slowed down the game when the Cape Town side still had energy, and the score was 14-14 at one point. However, the guests' excellent physical condition was demonstrated against two URC clubs, and it will be interesting to see if Rennie will stick to the same position after the first match.

Unlike Boks coach Rassie Erasmus, the New Zealand mentor interacted with the referees involved in the series and had the opportunity to convey to them points he would like to see in the matches for the first time. Erasmus recently expressed regret over the new protocols according to which official requests submitted by coaches are available to competing teams and other referees.

Erasmus reported last month how the system now works: 'Now the day referee sends you an email asking if you want to meet, and if both coaches do not agree, there will be no meeting; but if both coaches agree, they meet with the referee.'

This certainly makes the upcoming series interesting, but publicly expressing concerns about the opponent slowing down the game could cause problems for the All Blacks when they face the world champions.