Cobus Reinach was there before when Boks turned tables on All Blacks
Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach knows what it’s like to lose to the All Blacks and then bounce back to beat them a week later.
Last year he came on as a substitute in South Africa’s 24-17 defeat to New Zealand in Auckland and a week later started for the Boks as they tore through the home side in Wellington to win by a record 43-10.
At Ellis Park on Saturday night he came on as a replacement in the dismal opening Test the Springboks lost 33-16 , and he’s in the starting XV for the second match of the four-game series at Cape Town Stadium.
He’s sounding positive ahead of the crucial showdown the hosts must win if they want to take the series.
“When we looked at the game on Monday, we were so close,” said Reinach, who spent just 13 minutes on the field before getting yellow-carded.
🗣️ "We've got much more to lose in this game." Rassie Erasmus on the Springboks bouncing back in Cape Town and their response to losing at Ellis Park. #SSRugby | #RugbysGreatestRivalry pic.twitter.com/M30CwdNcAt
“We were very dominant throughout the whole game or up until 60 minutes and we were just a bit inaccurate in a few departments.
“We have this week to fix it, and then lucky enough in this competition we’ve got four chances to keep going at it and get our game better.”
Reinach received his marching orders a minute after substitute loose forward Marco van Staden had been yellow-carded, leaving the Boks two men down.
He was philosophical about the infringements this week. “That’s credit to them. They put us under pressure and made us do things that led to the yellows. They did a good job there.
“It’s now for us to look at that and see how we can defend that better or make a different plan. But, ja, review after a loss is never good, but it’s learnings and as long as we learn as a team and grow as a team and get our game better.”
The All Blacks make it happen on the set-piece 👏 Luke Jacobson gets their fourth of the night 🇳🇿💥 📺 Stream #RugbysGreatestRivalry on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/H6IDMstM0z
The 36-year-old highlighted the All Blacks’ strategy of attacking the breakdown area, which the Boks have been working on this week.
“They went after our breakdown quite hard, trying to slow our ball by throwing their legs around and things like that.
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