De Villiers: 'McCaw loss to cripple Kiwis'
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:36
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers feels the injury-enforced absence of captain Richie McCaw will be huge loss to the All Blacks and will open the back door for South Africa to win their first Test on New Zealand soil in a decade.
Speaking at a media briefing in Johannesburg, before the first batch of Springboks left or New Zealand on Thursday, the Bok coach said the injury to McCaw will be severely felt by the All, Blacks.
South Africa play New Zealand in the first of their back-to-back Tri-Nations Tests in Wellington on July 5 and then In Dunedin on July 12 - before heading across the Tasman Sea to play the Wallabies in Perth on July 19.
McCaw injured his ankle in New Zealand's 44-12 win over England last Saturday and will miss the first four weeks of the Tri-Nations.
According to De Villiers the injury will cause major problems to the All Blacks, pointing out that even when Kiwis coach Graham Henry fielded under-strength teams against minnows, openside flank McCaw and flyhalf Dan Carter were always retained.
"This [the injury to McCaw] gives us a great opportunity to win in New Zealand," De Villiers told a media gathering in Johannesburg.
The Springboks last won in New Zealand in 1998 - but that was at the old Athletic Park stadium and not the Westpac Stadium where the Boks have never won.
South Africa, who have won only six (all at home) of their 20 encounters with the Kiwis since 1998, have also never won in Dunedin.
"It's always tough to play the All Blacks at home," De Villiers said.
"We recently struggled against the two Six Nations [Wales and Italy] teams," De Villiers pointed out, adding: "and the All Blacks are bound to be a tougher test.
"They will undoubtedly try and prove that their lapse in last year's World Cup was just that - and that they, and not us, are
the best in the world."
South Africa moved to first place on the International Rugby Board (IRB) rankings after winning the World Cup in France in October, after New Zealand were knocked out in the quarterfinals.
Victory for the All Blacks in Wellington will see them reclaim first place on the IRB rankings.
