STEP IT UP

EX-SPRINGBOK Victor Matfield feels fullbacks Aphele Fassi and Damian Willemse will need to make a huge step up as playmaking threats if South Africa want to klap the All Blacks in New Zealand.

The Boks face New Zealand in their next two Rugby Championship matches next Saturday in Auckland and 13 September in Wellington.

All eyes are already fixed on the Auckland clash where the All Blacks have not lost a Test match at Eden Park since 1994 when France beat them 23-20.

According to Matfield, SA made the right call to go back to their “DNA” to beat Australia 30-22 in their second Test innie Kaap at the weekend.

The Boks built pressure through their kicking game, direct play with their forwards and dominated in the scrums and lineouts, while flyhalf Handre Pollard didn’t miss a beat in slotting all his kicks at goal.

Matfield feels that is the best plan to beat the Kiwis in New Zealand, but if coach Rassie Erasmus wants to see his span evolve their attacking game, Pollard needs help in running the attack.

Of veteran No.15 Willie le Roux the only one capable of doing that with Pollard at No.10, Matfield told the Rivals podcast: “With Handre at 10 almost playing for position or territory, Willie is normally the guy to call the ball is he sees the space out wide.

“We probably missed out on Willie [against Australia] in that [attacking] combination. Losing Willie a day before the game set us back a bit, you know.

“[But] a guy like Fassi needs to step up and be that guy to be able to communicate with the 10 to make the right calls.”

Should the Boks go for a conservative approach against the All Blacks, which Matfield backs, the former lock says of Fassi and Willemse possibly cracking the nod ahead of Le Roux for the Eden Park Test: “[They] are probably better under the high ball; Fassi has a big left foot on him; more speed than Willie as well.”