Injury blow gives All Blacks key break

PRETORIA - The pendulum has swung the All Blacks' way as South Africa's horror injury run robbed the Springboks of another key player on the eve of tomorrow's (1am NZT) Tri-Nations rugby test.

Flanker Joe van Niekerk was today ruled out with an over-use injury to a disc in his neck, having replaced Juan Smith who was also ruled out on Wednesday after suffering a thigh strain at training.

It means the Springboks are without their three leading flankers, with the imposing Schalk Burger sidelined indefinitely after spinal surgery, while van Niekerk was unlikely to be back for next weekend's test in nearby Rustenberg.

Springboks coach Jake White didn't immediately confirm a replacement No 7, saying bench players Pierre Spies, Albert van den Berg or the recalled Bulls flanker Pedrie Wannenberg were all in the running.

It gives New Zealand a likely edge at the breakdown with captain Richie McCaw likely to dominate again and another abrasive scavenger, new No 8 Chris Masoe, not far behind.

McCaw played in the 52-16 hammering of the Springboks in Pretoria in 2003, the All Blacks' previous win over the old foe before back to back losses in Johannesburg and Cape Town in the past two years.

Just one of four players returning to the starting lineup from last Saturday's 34-27 win over the Wallabies, McCaw said the 11 pairs of fresh legs were crucial to their chances as they look to run the Springboks ragged with a high-octane approach.

"There's definitely excitement there. If you'd said the 15 that played last week was the best 15 to play this week, after a game and all the travel, I don't think that would have been right," he said.

"There's a few of us that are backing up but the added enthusiasm of the guys that haven't played for a while, it's got us going."

The All Blacks, already Tri-Nations champions for a seventh time, have won 14 consecutive matches and are nearing the record 17-match winning streak of coach Fred Allen's team of the 1960s.

But memories are fresh of their previous loss, 16-22 to the Springboks in Cape Town a year ago.

McCaw said they had learned from their mistakes that day as they prepare to face a baying full house at Loftus Versfeld.

"At Newlands, once they got ahead it was a tough day to get back.

"With the noise you feel quite lonely at times so you've got to make sure you don't get that feeling.

"The start's going to be key to that, not letting the South Africans live off any of our mistakes, which was what happened last year."

The All Blacks' speedy backline is one of their strongest combinations but the microscope will be on the forwards, with McCaw the only current first-choice selection.

A new-look front row of Neemia Tialata, Anton Oliver and Greg Somerville has a big task to quell the Springboks' scrum while lock Greg Rawlinson will be put under huge pressure from his former countrymen.

Springboks captain John Smit said the lineout was a key area they would attack.

Coach Graham Henry was downplaying his record of not having coached a winning All Blacks team in South Africa, but admitted now was the ideal time to break it.

"Because we haven't won here before it would be a good thing to get that monkey off the back.

"The management of this team haven't won in South Africa, even though some of the players have."

White meanwhile continued his upbeat mood despite another crippling injury blow as they bid for their first Tri-Nations win this year in four attempts.

"Whatever happened in the past is irrelevant," White said.

"It's two new teams, they've travelled a long way, they've had a shorter time to recover after last weekend and we have the advantage of being at home. Hopefully we use that advantage."

- NZPA