Springboks have nothing to lose

As the Springboks enter today’s Rugby Championship Test against New Zealand in Cape Town, they might not be in as bad a position as everyone thinks.

Almost everyone has written them off. The bookies have the Springboks at 6.5/1 to pull off an almighty upset at Newlands.

Those odds are kind to the hosts as New Zealand have inflicted massive victories of 41-13, 57-15 and 57-0 over the Springboks in the three Tests Allister Coetzee has been at the helm of the national team.

Add to the mix that Coetzee has made a few interesting changes for the Test after drawing with Australia for the second time in their Rugby Championship campaign, and the fact that the All Blacks are unbeaten in five matches in the competition, and you soon realise what an uphill battle the Boks are facing.

The All Blacks have already secured the title. Other than pride, the Boks don’t have much to play for either, which is why South Africa can play with more freedom.

Coetzee this week has gone as far as saying that anyone that believes the Boks can beat New Zealand “is living in a fool’s paradise”, and that “they don’t seem to have any weak areas”.

Not much fighting talk from the Bok coach. But that type of mindset may just be the tonic for the home side, who have nothing to lose today.