Savea warns All Blacks a wounded Springboks side is far more dangerous in Cape Town

Ardie Savea has put his All Blacks squad on notice ahead of Saturday’s second Test against South Africa in Cape Town, warning that the Springboks’ response to their series-opening defeat will be fierce and that New Zealand cannot afford the slow start that nearly cost them in Johannesburg.

New Zealand claimed a famous first-Test win last week, weathering an intense early Springbok onslaught before three second-half tries sealed the result. Cheslin Kolbe had given South Africa the lead after the break, but the All Blacks ultimately ran out convincing winners to take a 1-0 series lead in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.

Despite the result, Savea was candid about the areas requiring improvement. “I think our start, for one,” he told reporters on the eve of the match. “South Africa — a world-class team — came out of the blocks physical, dominant. I don’t think we’ll get away with that if we start like that again. So we need to turn up, but also be accurate.”

The All Blacks skipper drew explicitly on recent history to frame the threat, with memories of last year’s Wellington Test — when the Springboks inflicted a heavy defeat on New Zealand — clearly still resonating in the squad’s thinking.

“We all know what’s happened before, in the past. They’re a dangerous, dangerous side and it’s a testament to the quality that they have across the board,” Savea said. “We understand the threat. We understand the wounded beast. We understand that when you do lose, everything is amplified.”

Savea spent Friday morning meeting All Blacks supporters in Cape Town, where one encounter stood out. A family had travelled from Namibia specifically for the occasion, and their son — also named Ardie — got to meet his namesake in what the captain described as a bigger-than-rugby moment.

For all the warmth of the fan engagement, Savea was careful not to let the positive atmosphere breed complacency. He kept his message focused squarely on the performance required on Saturday evening.

“We’ve just got to be accurate and stay disciplined, not let them into the areas of the field where they want to play,” he said. “It’s all well and good me talking about it now, but we have to turn up.”