A heady battle in the sky for aerial supremacy will be a key factor for the Springboks when they bid to tame the All Blacks in a Rugby Championship double-header, flyhalf Handré Pollard says.
Pollard’s unerring boot helped the Boks build vital momentum when they beat the Wallabies 30-22 in Cape Town ahead of a much-anticipated trip to the land of the long white cloud.
Man of the match Pollard kicked three conversions and three penalties to boost Bok hopes ahead of battles against the All Blacks in Auckland (September 6) and Wellington (September 13).
“The aerial duel was a great battle within the game against the Wallabies in Cape Town,” Pollard said.
“Australia were very good on that transition, coming down and keeping it alive, and they’ve got some electric wings.
“It was a combination of tactics and conditions which forced us, maybe, into a kicking game a little bit more.
“We knew what we had to do.
“It’s an area in rugby that’s getting much more competitive with all the new laws and stuff, so it’s pretty tough on a guy receiving a high ball.
“But our wings are unbelievable getting in there.
“We’ll always keep that as one of our strengths in our game, hopefully, going forward.”
Pollard said he was only interested in contributing to the team and personal milestones were of less significance.
“The only thing I care about is to win,” he said. “That’s the only thing we needed in Cape Town.
“A lot of guys played very well. I know there always has to be one Man of the Match but for me, it was just about getting the win.”
“It was a tough week leading up to the match, and rightfully so after the defeat in Johannesburg.
“We were very disappointed with that result, but towards the end of the week we hit the sweet spot.
“The Boks put the loss behind us, and we took a lot of learning out of that game in Johannesburg.”
Pollard said young players were making their voices heard in the South African squad.
“Yes, there are senior guys but there’s a lot of young guys stepping up with a big voice and a lot of leadership and knowledge as well,” he said.
“We take everything from everyone, but it was an important one to get over the line this week.
“The older one gets, you appreciate it because the end is getting closer.
“This is such an unbelievable group of men, coaches, and management, you want to be part of it as long as you can, and to do that, you must work hard and play well.
“We want to win, keep South Africa right up there and make the country proud.
“The people care about the Springboks, and that’s the most important thing you’ve always got to remember.
“They can be disappointed when we lose because they care so much, and they can be excited and happy when we win.
“We just get on to the next job and try to get back on the horse.
“The trophies and the medals are nice, but for us it’s about making South Africa proud and making the Springboks the best team in the world.”
The Boks flew to New Zealand on Tuesday, which will give them sufficient time to acclimatise to the time zone ahead of the opening Test.
There were no surprises in the squad, and coach Rassie Erasmus opted to stick to the players who did duty in the opening two games of the Rugby Championship against the Wallabies.
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