All Blacks: Springboks rivalry still strong despite one-sided results

Springboks great Joel Stransky is adamant the rivalry between the All Blacks and South Africa is as strong as ever.

Former New Zealand international Justin Marshall told Trackside Radio on Thursday that the rivalry didn't have the same "edge" as it did in the past.

But Stransky - the man who broke Kiwis' hearts in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final - has a very different view, despite the fact the All Blacks have won the last eight tests between the two nations.

South Africa last beat New Zealand in 2014 and haven't won in New Zealand since 2009. 

Despite that long drought, Stransky, 51, insists the rivalry is still strong from a South African perspective.

"It is for us," he told Newshub. "The All Blacks have a really great record against us at the moment, but when you're on top of the world, every game is a rivalry.

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"Every team wants to knock you off the pedestal.  For the All Blacks, every game is a big game, but if we come here off two losses and beat the All Blacks, everything will be okay.

"You don't come to New Zealand to play the All Blacks without the intention of winning. If you don't have the goal of winning, you shouldn’t be here."

Stranksy well knows what it's like to beat New Zealand - he kicked the winning extra-time drop goal at that 1995 World Cup.

If South Africa are to upset the world champions, Stranksy believes his side need to eliminate mistakes.

"The Springboks have to be more disciplined in where they make their mistakes and the areas they make them," he says. "If you make mistakes at vital times against the All Blacks, they punish you. 

"Mistakes just happen and I think the critical thing is for young teams not to make mistakes is to learn how not to make them.

"That all comes with experience and confidence, and that comes with winning."  

Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth said the team have worked on their set-piece, particularly their lineout.

"I think a few calls did not go our way [against the Wallabies]," he said. "It is actually up to us.

"There are things we have worked on this week and hopefully, we can improve this weekend. 

"We have analysed the New Zealand lineout and that is something we are looking to expose. They have good jumpers, good individual players and they have worked well together as a group."

Newshub. 

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