Brendan Venter: All Blacks still the best but Boks have forged belief

Loftus sold out today, expecting 50,000 fans on 6th! Going to be a cracker!

Its interesting to note that whenever other sides have the inevitable rare one off victory they have suddenly realized their potential and now have the self belief to finally start beating the ABs. One sunny day does not make a summer and the real test for these teams is their ability to consistently reproduce the form necessary to compete and by doing so give themselves the chance of beating the ABs. Of recent times Ireland had the best opportunity to do this with their victory in Chicago followed up immediately by a home game in Dublin, and although steadfast in application were found wanting in offensive determination. I believe this will be Sth Africas challenge, trying to engineer 5 tries or thereabouts to match the ABs try scoring prowess. Everyone knows the Blacks consistent ability to get across the tryline, can the Boks match that again, I very much doubt it.

The same could be said about the springboks. They have had a hell of a lot more issues than us

I was disappointed with the ABs lack of lift in performance for the third Lions test last year. Id like to see a real lift in performance for the return match against the Springboks.A performance that controls and wins the game, irrespective of the score.

What about a drop-goal experiment?? That would have given us a win.

The danger is that they will have been pushed to their limits by an Argentine team smelling blood a week before too, were going to have to be very good to beat the Bok after that softening up.

The best motivation the Boks got before this test was Kieran Reid saying in the lead up they hoped to wrap up the championship with a bonus point. Say no more

Great win springboks Ill always remember that game. but abs are still experimenting. a lot of their set pieces were experimental.

Wasnt the same coaching group in charge when the ABs put 57 points on them last year?

The boks played a big game and deserved to win..However they lost the two previous games .Can one game give you belief ,im not so sure..The return match will be a cracker..The All Blacks need to win their next match and Im confident they will...Im not so sure the boks will win their next game .They looked good against England and then lost their last match against England.Then two more loses and a win..Thw jury is still out on the boks...

Im a Kiwi supporter and Id say Owens mostly gave the All Blacks the rub of the green, especially in the second half which enabled them to keep the pressure on. A particularly odd scrum penalty against SA when the shunted the All Blacks off the ball was a case in point.

Yes, hes also said it before and they usually do wrap it up with games in hand. Hes usually right.

A hungry AB team with a point to prove. A Springbok team with newfound belief. The Loftus test match will be the test of the year no matter who wins.

Hes done it before ⦠remember Soldiers Field.

No one can beat those sort of Standing up flat and in your face tactics .Makes for boring Rugby as the Boks were marginally off side many times (Watch the replays if you doubt it) ABs should kick over them and make them turn around then they will soon step back a few paces

It was good for the competition for the Bokkies to wln and well done to them but they werent the better team and had a fair element of things going their way I am picking the ABs to give them a spanking in South AfricaWe are still easily the best

Id rather lose to SA than anyone else. A STUPID loss is all it is. Dumb moments in the closing minutes of a match that has given the Boks new belief. Thats what really turns my guts. We shouldnt have given them a leg up but rather needed to leave them in a state of confusion, and underscore what Erasmus was telling the world that they were no chance a win. A second loss away to either the Argies or the Boks wont be ruinous, but will really place doubt in the minds of the AB players.

NZ missed Guzzler. 123kg of thundering arms and legs , without him ABs were second best at the contact arew. Scott Barrett is a good player but he isnt Brodie. I reckon if Retallick plays that night NZ win.Simple as. Brodie with his shoulder should finish up this year and get it healed.

Yes, traditionally the Springboks were the greatest rivals of the All Blacks, and it looks like those days may have now returned. Despite all the hype from the Northern Hemisphere about England, Ireland and France, helped along by the open chequebooks of the very wealthy owners of the clubs in those countries, stealing many quality players from us, the Pacific Islands, and SA; those Johhny-Come-Latelies are not in the same class as the All Blacks and Springboks, and never will be. One reason is mystique and pride in wearing the black or green jersey for ones country, as no amount of money can buy that pride.

You sound like youve missed the entire previous week.