Greatest Rivalry Tour: Bulls boss previews Boks v All Blacks at 50-19

The All Blacks beat the Bulls 50-19 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night, then face the Springboks in the opening Test of the Greatest Rivalry Tour at Ellis Park next Saturday. The result kept New Zealand unbeaten and gave Bulls boss Ackermann a close look at the visitors before the series begins.

Ackermann believes the Springboks will present a different challenge from the Bulls. South Africa have a settled group of players, are match-fit and have had time to prepare under an experienced coaching team, he said after the match.

The Bulls struggled to contain New Zealand’s attacking approach, as both sides looked to retain possession and build from deep areas. Ackermann expects the All Blacks to have fewer opportunities to take those risks against the world champions, who could make them pay for mistakes in their own half.

He also identified chances for South Africa if they maintain possession against New Zealand. The Bulls coach felt his team would have created more opportunities had they shown greater patience when carrying the ball, and believes the Springboks can learn from that aspect of the game.

The defeat came despite an open contest in which both teams played with the ball in hand. New Zealand’s 50 points reflected the cost of the Bulls’ errors, while the home side’s 19 points left them well behind on the scoreboard.

The Springboks enter the Test after a 17-10 victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires last Saturday. They now have a two-week break before meeting the All Blacks, while New Zealand carry the confidence of an unbeaten run and a convincing win over the Bulls into the Ellis Park fixture.