Coach Rennie praises All Blacks character in fighting win over Stormers

The All Blacks began their Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour with a hard-fought 38-21 victory over the Stormers in Cape Town on Friday. This marks the first time in 30 years the New Zealand team has toured South Africa to face their rivals, playing against franchise teams before a test series against the Springboks.

“

It was a good introduction for us to South African rugby.

Despite the eventual comfortable win, the tourists were given a scare by a depleted Stormers side. The match remained tight, with the score level at 14-14 in the 65th minute. However, the Stormers eventually ran out of steam in the closing stages, allowing the All Blacks to pull away and secure the win.

“

We started very well and it looked like which side had the ball got rewarded by the referee.

Coach Dave Rennie acknowledged the challenge, stating it was a "good introduction" to South African rugby. He noted his team's dangerous attacking play when they possessed the ball but admitted they needed to be more clinical and improve in set-piece areas. Rennie also highlighted the Stormers' strong line speed in defense and their effectiveness in aerial attacks, areas where the All Blacks could have performed better.

“

When we had the ball we were really dangerous. We knew they would bring line speed (in defence). We just weren’t quite clinical enough to expose them.

Adding to the concerns, center Billy Proctor sustained a shoulder injury and left the field looking uncomfortable. Rennie confirmed the injury, noting that other players also suffered minor bumps and bruises. Despite these setbacks, Rennie praised the "heap of character" shown by his side in the final stages, attributing their victory to strong conditioning and the ability to hold onto the ball effectively. He believes the tough match will benefit the players as they prepare for the World Cup next year, providing valuable insights into the team's depth.

“

They came at us with their set-piece and we need to be better in those areas. We expected a lot of aerial attacks and we probably did not handle that as well as we could have.