Loosehead All Blacks George Bower stated readiness for another intense clash against the Springboks on Saturday in Soweto. He challenged the South African team ahead of the third match in the greatest rivalry series in rugby, insisting that New Zealand is ready to meet the world champions in a tough fight.
The scrum has been a topic of discussion throughout the series after the All Blacks struggled under pressure at Ellis Park stadium in the first match. Then the Boks again took the upper hand in the scrum moments during their 33-26 victory in Cape Town last week.
With the current score at 1-1, Bower believes that the All Blacks have no reason to avoid a heavy confrontation when the teams meet at the FNB stadium in Soweto (match starts at 17:00). Although there is verbal sparring surrounding the scrum, Bower expresses only anticipation for the opportunity to fight against one of the best scrums in the world.
Since returning to the All Blacks, he has become a pillar of the team, providing stability in the scrums and posing a serious challenge to the Bok tightheads during the tour. Bower emphasized his desire to participate in the scrum, stating on Thursday: 'Oh, I love the scrum. I want to scrum.'
He noted that despite much talk from both sides, it all comes down to the first scrum. 'We'll see who talks,' he added. He acknowledged that South Africa prides itself on its scrum and uses it as an opportunity to earn penalties and advance. However, he also stated that the All Blacks' mentality after the first match is that they are at the same high level.
Bower expressed his intention to challenge them, noting that they know about the approaching opponents, but they are also ready themselves. 'I want to scrum, and I know my five back players want to scrum too. As a team, we must focus on our connection and density, our binding and our setup, and hopefully, this will neutralize what the South Africans bring this weekend.'