South Africa coach Rudolf Straeuli said on Tuesday he expected his side to face a revamped New Zealand pack when the sides meet here on Saturday in the World Cup quarter-finals.
The All Blacks’ front five forwards were criticised after New Zealand were pushed hard by Wales before running out 53-37 winners in Sydney on Sunday.
And Straeuli told reporters here on Tuesday: ”It will be a totally different tight five that plays against us.
”I think Chris Jack (lock) will play (following an ankle injury) and there might be changes in the front row as well,” Straeuli, a former back-row and member of South Africa’s 1995 World Cup-winning team said.
He was less revealing about the make-up of his own side. ”You (journalists) have got to wait until Thursday (when the side is announced).
But he added: ”I don’t think you’ll see a lot of changes this week.”
However, one position where the Springboks will have to make a change is at openside flanker with Joe van Niekerk out of the World Cup after sustaining an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in Saturday’s 60-10 win over Samoa.
”It’s a massive blow,” said South Africa captain Corne Krige.
”He’s a world-class flanker,” Krige, himself a back-row player added.
”But Danie Rossouw’s played really well and Schalk Burger is young and exciting so it’s great to have them as back-up at least.”
New Zealand have injury worries over centre Tana Umaga, battling back from a cruciate ligament injury sustained in the tournament opener against Italy and No.8 Jerry Collins, trying to overcome rib soreness from the Wales match.
Krige though said both men could well play against South Africa.
”I saw his (Umaga’s) injury and was quite shocked to hear they were keeping him around. ”But he’s a fantastic footballer and I won’t be surprised if he plays at the weekend.
”And I saw Collins in a game where I thought he’d broken his leg and the next thing he was playing so I won’t be surprised if he is there either.”
New Zealand have had the upper hand recently against South Africa but when the teams last met the All Blacks only won by 19-11 in Dunedin in August. ”We’ve improved since then,” said Krige.
He added that the off-field controversy surrounding the exclusion of forward Geo Cronje from the Springbok squad after refusing to share a room with a coloured player had helped bring his side closer together.
”All the hassles we went through has made us a stronger team and hopefully we can draw on that strength now.”
And Krige insisted that his unheralded team could, despite their defeat by England earlier in the tournament, become the first side to win the World Cup after losing a Pool match if they beat the All Blacks.
”With Australia not playing well it has opened it up nicely,” said Krige after the reigning champions scraped past Ireland 17-16 last weekend.
”England, who everybody thought would run over other teams have also struggled. It’s nice, wide and open. The winner of this game between us and New Zealand has got a good chance. I don’t think anybody rates us at this moment.”
Meanwhile South Africa manager Gideon Sam said he had no complaints about the size of the punishment handed out to pitch invader Tapumanaia Lautasi, fined $800 by a Brisbane court Monday, after trying to tackle Springbok fly-half Louis Koen during the Samoa match.
”We are not in the fashion of challenging or contesting a decision by a court in another country,” said Sam. ”As far as we are concerned we have laid the matter to rest.” – Sapa-AFP