Keven Mealamu believes the upcoming Tests for New Zealand against the Springboks is an opportunity for the embattled All Blacks to “bounce back and hammer down the systems”.
The Boks and the All Blacks begin the Rugby Championship season with two clashes in the Republic next month, starting on 6 August in Nelspruit before moving on to Ellis Park a week later.
Jacques Nienaber’s troops head into the competition buoyed by a 2-1 series win over Wales in SA, while New Zealand’s first home campaign defeat by Ireland has piled pressure on head coach Ian Foster and sparked an urgent review of the Kiwis’ loss.
Mealamu, who made 132 appearances for New Zealand between 2002 and 2015, says it was better for the All Blacks to have problems to address now than in a year’s time at the World Cup in France.
“It’s nice to be in this position this year so that next year you’ve ticked those boxes and are ready to go,” Mealamu told the New Zealand Herald.
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“Every team goes through this where they have a moment where they will be challenged and have a real opportunity to look within themselves for where they can get better and how they can get better.
“What it does, is it gives us an opportunity to really bounce back and really hammer down on the systems and things we need to improve on before next year.”
The former hooker added: “I think we’ll see the real character of our team in how they bounce back. I know with the personnel they have in there – players, coaches, management – they will bounce back quickly, because I know they’re hurting.
“I always talk about making sure we support the people that are in there, and what does that look like? Are we giving enough support to the people that need it in there?
“The World Cup’s not far away, and if you really want to see how a team bounces back, then it has to be an opportunity for the guys in there right now, because they’ve had a rough time, let’s see them bounce back.
“We’ll see the character from them; we’ll see how much they build. This is where the learning is done.”
