‘Boks won’t target Barrett’

Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says his side won't shift all their focus on to influential All Blacks flyhalf Beauden Barrett in Christchurch on Saturday.

Barrett carried his Super Rugby form over to the Test arena and has marshalled New Zealand's attack superbly this year. Coetzee, however, is adamant that focusing on Barrett could cost his Boks against what he labels 'the best team in world rugby full of skillful game breakers'.

'There are going to be contests all over the park on Saturday. For us, it would stupid to focus just on Beauden,' said Coetzee.

'It's difficult to just focus on one player. He's really on song, he's confident and everything he does turns into gold. But pressure is the name of the game and you've got to make sure the pressure's not to try and zoom in on Beauden,' he added. 'You have to get the set piece right, to scrum well, put the lineout under pressure and hopefully that pressure will feed out to the scrumhalf and on to Beauden as well.'

The All Blacks – sitting on a 14-match winning streak – are firm favourites to beat South Africa, who have won just three of their six Tests in 2016. Coetzee emphasised that it takes time to get to the same level as New Zealand, who have 'the best systems in the world' and benefited from continuity.

He also reiterated that his charges have shown improvement since losing to Argentina in Salta and felt that they just weren't clinical enough against Australia.

'We got close three times, 10m, 5m from the try line. It's the last ruck where we're not clinical. In terms of contact situation, it's a work in progress, but I'm positive about it.'

Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images

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