Former All Blacks lock Ian Jones says holding the Rugby Championship Test between New Zealand and South Africa at Mount Smart Stadium instead of the fortress Eden Park could benefit the Springboks.
The Springboks and All Blacks will clash in the second round of the Rugby Championship on Saturday, after claiming respective wins over Australia and Argentina.
However, while the game will be held in Auckland, it won’t be at New Zealand’s feared ground of Eden Park, where the All Blacks are unbeaten in 48 games.
Instead, because of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is also being held in New Zealand, the match between the Springboks and All Blacks will take place at the rugby league stadium Mount Smart.
It will be the first time that the stadium hosts the Springboks and while the 25,000-seater has sold out, former All Blacks lock-turned-commentator Jones said it won’t provide the same intimating atmosphere as Eden Park.
“It’s basically a neutral field. The All Blacks’ record at Eden Park is well known. They last lost at Eden Park in 1994, against France, and currently boast 48 consecutive victories there,” Jones told Sunday newspaper Rapport.
“Now suddenly the All Blacks are playing on Mt. Smart, which is a strange field for the rugby community. The Eden Park factor has been removed.
“It’s like going to play in Johannesburg, but not at Ellis Park. No other ground is as terrifying for the All Blacks as Ellis Park.”
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