Matfield spots All Blacks vulnerability ahead of first Springboks Test at Ellis Park

Victor Matfield has identified what he calls a telling vulnerability in the All Blacks’ game ahead of their first Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park on Saturday, pointing to New Zealand’s second-half display in their 50-19 warm-up victory over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld as evidence.

The All Blacks were dominant in the opening 40 minutes of that match, building a 24-0 half-time lead against the United Rugby Championship runners-up. But Matfield, the former South Africa lock and 2007 World Cup winner, says the picture changed after the break when the Bulls began to apply pressure.

“I do think there was a little bit in that second half where I thought the Springboks would have a look at this and think ‘If we really put the pressure on, if we really bring the physicality, if we keep them in their half, they look vulnerable,’” Matfield said on his Rugby Rivals podcast. “The first half I thought the All Blacks were great, and then the second half, once the pressure came a little bit from the Bulls, I just saw something that I’m looking forward to for Saturday.”

Matfield was careful to acknowledge the quality Dave Rennie’s side showed throughout the match, singling out openside Anton Segner and centre Rieko Ioane for particular praise. “I thought Segner, the opensider, who I didn’t know, was really good, and then Rieko Ioane I thought was outstanding against the Bulls,” he said. “I still think No.13 is his position — he just looked sharp, he looked fast, every time he touches the ball he looked really dangerous.”

Despite those individual highlights, Matfield believes Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks squad will have drawn genuine confidence from studying the second-half footage. The All Blacks, he noted, had the luxury of a large cushion when the Bulls pushed back, a buffer that South Africa will not be offering them on Saturday.

The first Test of the series kicks off at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.