New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie has expressed concerns to World Rugby regarding South Africa’s scrum tactics ahead of the second Test between the All Blacks and the Springboks, scheduled for Saturday at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town. Rennie’s aim is to curb South Africa’s dominance in the set-piece, which proved influential during the first Test at Ellis Park last weekend.
In that match, while the Springboks struggled to capitalise on attacking opportunities, they secured six scrum penalties, including a sequence of three consecutive penalties in the second half. South Africa’s approach, which has previously troubled teams such as Ireland in Dublin last November, involved aggressive scrummaging intended to overwhelm the New Zealand forwards. However, a key moment saw South African prop Gerhard Steenekamp penalised for “walking around” the scrum, a ruling that shifted momentum in New Zealand’s favour as the Springboks had opted for a scrum over a penalty kick close to the All Blacks’ try line.
New Zealand asserts that South Africa’s scrum infringements were under-penalised and hopes that match officials will enforce rules strictly to keep the Springboks scrummaging “square” in the upcoming match. Angus Gardner will serve as referee after Nika Amashukeli withdrew with illness. Rennie explained that limiting South Africa’s ability to move sideways or “walk around” during the scrum will enable the All Blacks to maintain an advantage and facilitate their game plan.
Defending the Springboks’ scrum tactics, South African prop Thomas du Toit emphasized that his team operates within the laws as they interpret them, acknowledging the subjective nature of certain scrum calls. “There are always two sides to the coin,” he said, noting that what one side sees as illegal movement, the other may view as legal positioning.
In terms of squad changes, New Zealand will be without Ethan de Groot and Josh Lord due to concussion protocols. Leroy Carter will start on the wing, replacing Josh Moorby, while George Bower gains a starting spot in the front row following a strong performance off the bench in the first Test. Tupou Vaai has been moved to lock, with Simon Parker taking up the blind-side flanker position. Rennie highlighted Parker’s physicality and suitability against the South Africans, noting that the scrum will again be a critical aspect of the game.
Reflecting on past encounters, Rennie recalled the Springboks’ comeback last year in Wellington following a loss at Eden Park, warning of a possible similar response this weekend. “The Springboks at their best are tough to beat,” he said, anticipating improvements in South Africa’s set-piece strategy, aerial ball tactics, and territorial pressure near the All Blacks’ 22-metre line.
New Zealand also acknowledged their need to improve discipline after conceding 14 penalties in the first Test, including nine in the opening half-hour, with South Africa failing to capitalize fully on those opportunities. Rennie expressed the team’s intention to increase ball-in-play time beyond the 27 minutes achieved previously, emphasizing accuracy, tempo, and physicality as key elements for success.
The second Test promises to be a tightly contested encounter, with both teams aiming to assert their dominance over a critical area of play and deliver a performance that could influence the series outcome.