Morné van den Berg said it had been good to experience the intensity of a Test match against the All Blacks, a side he has always admired.
Springbok scrumhalf Morné van den Berg is thrilled to face the All Blacks for just the second time in his career, after labelling them as the most attacking side he has ever faced.
The Lions star, known as Krappie, played just his eighth Test for South Africa during their 33-26 Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry win in Cape Town on the weekend.
Van den Berg described his 25 minutes in that game as almost entirely defensive.
Speaking on Wednesday, he said dominating the breakdown had been a “massive work-on” after the All Blacks beat the Springboks at Ellis Park in the first Test.
“Unfortunately, my 25 minutes were mostly spent in defence. So I had like three rucks and by then I think we had already done a very good job in forcing our struggles on them,” he said of how the Springboks were able to rectify that department.
“The Boks’ [defensive] system is a bit more aggressive than the Lions. So it was an adjustment at the beginning but I think I’ve settled in well.
“I’ve been here long enough to get comfortable. On the weekend, they were definitely the side I have played against that attacked the most.
“The system is there for a reason. If you stay in the system, it will protect you…. Obviously it wasn’t perfect at times. But it felt quite comfortable.”
The scrumhalf said it was good for him to experience the intensity that came with playing against one of the best teams in the world.
Now selected to replace Cobus Reinach from the bench again, Van den Berg is excited to take on the All Blacks in the third and penultimate series Test.
This is at Soccer City, or, for sponsorship reasons, FNB Stadium, in Soweto on Saturday. The scrumhalf made his senior rugby debut for the Lions there in 2020.
“It’s an absolutely incredible stadium. I’m also excited to play a Test in Johannesburg.
“I think the whole team is buzzing and excited for this, and to have about 90,000 supporters there is incredible.”
He said his opposite, Cam Roigard, was a quality player. But if he focused on himself and his team stuck to the system, they would be able to defend against any ploys from the All Black playmaker.
Looking back at the rivalry between the Springboks and All Blacks, Van den Berg said growing up he always admired the “rock star” of rugby in the 2000s and early ’10s, Dan Carter.
“If you’re a kid in South Africa you’re dreaming of playing for the Boks against the All Blacks. I admired them for their skill and athleticism, but I also really wanted to test myself against them.”
On the South African front, Van den Berg said he had always been a Lions fan and enjoyed watching the halfback pairing of Ricky Januarie and André Pretorius.
“I loved Ricky Januarie and Jano Vermaak after that. And as I grew older, Fourie du Preez really was somebody I looked up to. If I said I wanted to be like someone, it would be more like Fourie du Preez. But I don’t look at his videos and [try to copy].”
