Leroy Carter prepares to face Kurt-Lee Arendse in the match between All Blacks and Springboks

The Springboks team is under serious pressure as they need to defeat the All Blacks in Cape Town to maintain a chance of winning the series. History shows that the Springboks demonstrate the greatest danger when in a difficult position, and all attention is focused on Cape Town before the second match, which South Africa cannot afford to lose.

The All Blacks have gained an unexpected advantage, as they lead the four-match series after their impressive 33-16 victory at Ellis Park last Saturday, putting the Springboks in a position that requires a win to stay in contention.

In the upcoming clash, which will take place at DHL Stadium on Saturday, there will be a new referee—Angus Gardner from Australia, whose appointment was confirmed by World Rugby. Initially, Gardner was scheduled to officiate the third match in Johannesburg next week, but due to the illness of Nicky Amashukeli from Georgia, Amashukeli will now take over Gardner's initial duties in Johannesburg.

For the Springboks, the main focus is on actions between the lines. The team has repeatedly proven its ability to cope with setbacks, learn from them, and respond with play that can change the course of the series or tournament. They demonstrated this against the British Lions in 2021, recovering from a 22-17 loss in the first match and winning the series 2-1.

Past examples are also recalled: in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, they lost to New Zealand in the group stage but subsequently won the Webb Ellis Cup. Four years later, a loss to Ireland in France was replaced by a remarkable run towards a second consecutive World Cup title. Furthermore, last year, after losing to Australia 38-22 at Ellis Park, the Springboks managed to rally and retain the Rugby Championship title for the first time in history.

The ability to move on quickly will be tested again in Cape Town. Prop Thomas du Toit stated that the players deliberately left the Ellis Park defeat behind after careful analysis conducted on Monday. Du Toit noted: 'I think the most important thing for us was to postpone this game and learn lessons as quickly as possible.' He added that the team performed excellently over the last two years, placing each individual game in its own frame and not dwelling on mistakes.

Du Toit emphasized that the team embraced the positive aspects and worked on the worst aspects of the game, saying it was 'so simple'. Nevertheless, he acknowledged the significance of Saturday, noting: 'There is this undertone to what this event represents. However, the reality is that we want to win on Saturday, and what we do during the week will matter.'

The All Blacks team is also well aware of the challenges ahead. Coach Dave Rennie expects the injured Springboks team to play aggressively but warned that New Zealand must also improve its game to repeat the success at Ellis Park. Rennie stated: 'We know the Boks will come out to give their all for a possible comeback. They will obviously be very disappointed after last weekend.' He also mentioned that he is well aware of how the Springboks recovered last year after losing to them in Wellington.

However, Rennie insists that the All Blacks will not simply defend and maintain their 1-0 lead. He believes that the Springboks at peak form are difficult to beat anywhere, but they said they would be better than last weekend. 'We have to raise our level because we know the Boks will be better too. We will mainly focus on what we can bring, rather than entirely on what the Boks can bring.'

Springboks hooker Malcolm Marx stated that the team is preparing for a tough battle in scrums and cannot rely on past successes against the All Blacks.

The greatest rugby rivalry

The Springboks team is preparing for the All Blacks' onslaught in the scrums at Ellis Park stadium on Saturday, but they do not plan to rely on the results of previous encounters to defeat their opponents. According to experienced hooker Malcolm Marx, the team has prepared for the upcoming challenge in the first test match of the greatest rugby rivalry and intends to do everything possible to start the four-match series with a victory in Johannesburg.

Although Marx did not reveal many details before the match, the 32-year-old player emphasized the importance of a good start. Although the Boks dominated New Zealand in the scrums last year, Marx believes a serious battle awaits them. He noted: 'Last year is in the past, and we must focus on what lies ahead.'

Marx added that they know the All Blacks will put pressure on them during the scrum, and the team is working hard on this, but the opponents are doing the same. He stressed: 'We cannot rely on the past to win the game. We must ensure that our work over the last couple of weeks has been done to give us the best chance this weekend.'

Although team lineups have not yet been announced, Marx is likely to start the game in the world champions' squad and face All Blacks players such as Cody Taylor and Samisoni Taukeahaho. He believes they will present a serious challenge, whether in the scrums, in play after contact, or in ball possession.

He commented: 'They are all explosive, good in ball possession and defense, and obviously brilliant in set pieces. So, I think it will be a big challenge for our hookers this weekend. All three are really good. If I get a chance, I look forward to that opportunity.'

Marx also noted that preparation has not become more intensive, but the team approaches every test match the same way, regardless of the significance of the series. 'We know how important this weekend is, and we try to prepare accordingly. I don't think I will say how we will control the situation, but we are working hard on it. We conduct a lot of analysis to see where we can improve compared to previous games and study the threats they pose, for example, in play after contact, and see if we have opportunities. We have worked very hard, and we will see how this weekend goes.'