Dave Rennie denies conflict with Rassie Erasmus ahead of crucial match

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All Blacks captain Ardie Savea admitted to feeling nervous after his tackle on South African opponent Jasper Weesie during the first match of the biggest rugby rivalry, which took place at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Savea collided with Weesie in the shoulder and head area in the second half of the match, which ended with an All Blacks victory of 33-16. Despite this, officials did not issue a warning.

The All Blacks captain stated: 'Today I will be quite biased; I am happy with the decision. I was nervous, but they made the call, they made that challenge, and it worked in our favor.'

All Blacks coach Dave Rennie provided a more detailed assessment, explaining why referee Matthew Carley made the correct decision. He emphasized: 'Technically, it is the right decision. You can see on video that when he hits him, his head goes forward. This means the initial impact is on the body, and then the head moves forward. If the head leans back, the initial impact is directly on the head. This is truly good officiating, and it's nice to see at this level.'

The All Blacks' defense was outstanding that evening, allowing the two-time world champions only one attempt from Andre Esterhuizen. Rennie specifically praised the contribution of All Blacks legend and defensive coach Tana Umaga. He said: 'Tana and his defensive group did an excellent job. We have many guys who work hard for each other. You did well limiting South Africa to one try, so it was a big defensive effort.'

The former Wallabies coach, who has a proud record against the Boks, welcomed the victory but remains cautious about a possible negative reaction from the Boks in Cape Town over the upcoming weekend. He noted: 'This is huge. We have the advantage [in the series]. Obviously, this doesn't guarantee anything, and we know they are a very good team. Next week will be just as tough. It's nice to be ahead by one match, and we'll enjoy a quiet beer, but we'll quickly shift our focus to the Lions.'

The All Blacks will face the Lions at Ellis Park on Tuesday evening in the final match of the round before traveling to Cape Town, where the second match will take place at the DHL stadium on Saturday.

All Blacks coach Dave Rennie expresses confidence that captain Ardie Savea is ready to play actively against the Springboks at Ellis Park stadium. Rennie believes that the All Blacks can gain a significant early advantage by winning the first match of the series.

The Greatest Rivalry Duel in Rugby

Rennie acknowledged the importance of winning the opening test match of the series, which is part of the greatest rivalry duel in rugby, similar to his colleague from the Springboks, Siya Erasmus. He noted that while losing the first match does not mean the end, both teams aim to start the series successfully. Given that the tour will be very intense, a win in the first match will have a positive impact.

The team received substantial squad reinforcement with the return of three key players after injuries before the start of the series. Will Jordan, Cam Roigard, and Damian McKenzie overcame fitness issues. However, the visitors lost influential back-rowers Billy Proctor and Caleb Clarke, who will not participate in the tour.

McKenzie, who will handle the main drop-goal kicking duties, was a major concern after a ankle sprain during the game against the Sharks, but Rennie is confident in his readiness. He stated that Damian spent most of Tuesday's training sessions and feels well, so the team is confident in his participation. The return of these players, including Will and Cam, who showed great effect at the World Cup, is a big plus.

The return of captain Ardie Savea was another significant boost for New Zealand. Savea, who will receive his 110th Test cap on Saturday, rested after the World Cup and only joined the team after the match against the Sharks. Rennie added that Ardie joined them in full fighting condition. He noted that it was useful for him to take a break from rugby and spend time with his family, and that he missed it very much. Savea trained intensively upon his return and quickly integrated into the team, having been with them for almost a month and a half.

Rennie admitted that the final squad selection created a pleasant headache because many reserve players demonstrated good form and created strong competition for spots. There were several positions that required long discussions.

The battle for the second row spot was particularly fierce between Patrick Tuipulotu, Sam Darby, and Tuopo Vaai. Rennie emphasized how good Patrick Tuipulotu was against Ireland, and also noted that Sam Darby is a large player with an excellent skill set and powerful endurance.

Affirming Erasmus's opinion, Rennie stressed that the depth of the squad will be seriously tested over the four test matches. He concluded that the team plans to use more than 23 players throughout this tour, given the intensity of the test series, and that other players will certainly get their chances.