Ethan Blackadder and Tupou Vaa'i talk about life in the All Blacks environment. Video / allblacks.com
Springboks legend Joel Stransky has called for the side to change their "terrible game plan" for Saturday's anticipated clash against the All Blacks following back-to-back defeats to the Wallabies.
The All Blacks and Springboks meet for the 100th time when they square off in Townsville, their first test since the 2019 Rugby World Cup pool phase.
South Africa lost the number one world ranking to the All Blacks this week and sit 10 points back from Ian Foster's side on the Rugby Championship table with two tests remaining.
The former first five-eighths who kicked South Africa to their most famous victory over New Zealand, the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, said he is ''a little concerned' going into this weekend's match based on current form.
"The Springboks haven't exactly been in great form and have not played particularly well," Stransky told Gold AM's Country Sport Breakfast. "It's such a grand occasion and we want the guys to be on form. We want them to deliver a great game and hopefully come away with a win in a game that is worthy of the 100th test. Let's hope it is so but we are a little bit nervous.
"The reality is we didn't play good rugby [against the Lions] but we did enough to win. I think what has been most disappointing in the last two weekends is that Australia have found a way to get around our defence and once they did, we spread and then they found a way to get through it.
"What is a little bit disappointing is we haven't really found that next gear ... we've stuck to the real basic game plan that we played and it's not working for us. We've got to do something different, something more and build on what we've got. Let's hope this weekend we can do that."
Springboks players react after losing the Round 4 Rugby Championship match to the Wallabies. Photo / Photosport
Stransky, who played 22 tests for South Africa, said coach Jacques Nienaber was under-utilising a talented backline.
"I feel deeply sorry for Handre Pollard and the backs. They just get the dregs. They don't get any ball to play with, they just kick and chase. It's a terrible game plan for them.
"If we are going to beat the All Blacks, we've got to use that outside backs. We've got great backs," he said.
"Damian de Allende is a great passer of the ball and we've never seen him pass. He's big, strong and powerful and sucks defenders in. Lukhanyo Am runs great lines and is a skilful outside centre and we've got speed on the outside and Willie le Roux is a smart fullback.
"I would love to see us use our forwards to carry it up, get a bit of go-forward and then use the width of the field. We are just so predictable in the way we go about things. We are bad at running the ball because we never do it. We don't square the shoulders up, we don't draw in defenders. There is so much wrong with our game at the moment.
"But I think if we have a go and try to build a do a little bit more than what we have been doing, the guys will come to the fore. It's such a talented team."
