All Blacks not underestimating England-beating Boks

New Zealand’s assistant coach Ian Foster has said the world champions are not underestimating the Springboks ahead of their encounter on Saturday.

Since last winning in New Zealand in 2009, the South Africans have won only two of their last 17 encounters with the All Blacks, and will be heading into this clash low on confidence after two consecutive Rugby Championship losses (to Argentina and Australia).

However, the New Zealanders are not getting ahead of themselves, remaining wary of the Boks capabilities, as they beat England in June.

“We know they’re a very good team. We saw them play in June and beat a good England team 2-1 and so we know they can play and they’ve shown some good stuff in The Rugby Championship and they’ve had a couple of losses in an away game,” Forster was quoted saying in Stuff NZ.

The assistant coach added that any Springbok clash is never easy.

“It’s never been anything but a hundred percent physical and brutal and I can’t see any difference based on what we’ve heard. We know they’re going to be hungry. That’s a given.”