All Blacks hell-bent on turning fortunes around, says Darry

A wounded All Black rugby side must find the balance between competing in the air and doing the job on the ground if they want to turn their fortunes around in Baltimore on Saturday, lock Sam Darry says.

They will be facing a confident Springbok side who opened a 2-1 lead in the four-Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series with a crucial win at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg at the weekend.

With their backs to the wall, New Zealand will mount a frantic bid to snatch a share of the spoils at M&T Stadium (kickoff 11pm SA time).

“Yes, we can definitely improve on our maul defence,” Darry said. “We did a good job on a few. It’s about trying to find the balance between competing in the air and doing the job on the ground.

“It’s something we’ve got to have a good look at and be able to understand more once we look at the clips. We know we can be better and we will be better.

“I thought we did a good job in the first half of limiting our errors, being disciplined, going deep into phase count and making them defend us, which is where we feel we’re at our best.

“You can’t fill Ardie’s shoes, but whoever is asked to put the jersey on will go out there and give it their best.”—  Sam Darry, All Black lock

“In the second half, we lost our flow through our own errors. We had poor discipline, and that’s what the Boks feed off.

“They are a quality side that loves to scrum, loves to maul, and when you make errors, they capitalise on that. I think we could’ve been a bit more clinical in the second half, and try to get our attack going, defuse a few of those high balls, be a bit better at scrum time. It potentially could’ve been better for us.”

Darry said the absence of inspirational captain Ardie Savea in Baltimore because of injury would be acutely felt by the squad.

“Ardie is massive for us, and he’s our leader, he’s a great leader and always makes time for the boys,’ he said. “We are really disappointed for him and his family and what he’s having to go through now.”

All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has named a squad of 36 players for the fourth and final Test.

After the third Test against in Soweto, Savea (dislocated shoulder), Quinn Tupaea (MCL) and Luke Jacobson (elbow) were ruled out of travelling to Baltimore.