Rugby: All Blacks switched on to the threat of Springboks' 'boring' rolling maul

The Springboks won't beat the ABs by trying to get into an arm wrestle based on their big weapon the rolling maul. Photo / Getty Images

The All Blacks have admitted they appear vulnerable to the lineout drive after conceding two tries there to Argentina, but the Springboks should be wary about concentrating too much time and effort into this area of the game.

Heyneke Meyer's men beat the All Blacks at Ellis Park 27-25 last year with an attacking game plan and a first-five in Handre Pollard who was just too hot to handle.

They won't beat the All Blacks by trying to get into an arm wrestle. Just as the All Blacks believe they have the talent and players to win any sort of test - by kicking or running teams off the park or crushing them with their pack - so the Boks must keep an open mind rather than narrow their focus to the set piece.

In 2013, with the giant Andries Bekker on board, the Stormers had what appeared to be an unbeatable lineout heading into a Super Rugby match against the Crusaders in Cape Town.

However, with Sam Whitelock contesting the Stormers' throws and putting immense pressure on Bekker, the Crusaders, minus the injured Kieran Read, Dan Carter, Israel Dagg and Richie McCaw, stopped the threat at source and ran out 19-14 victors. It was a classic case of a team's greatest strength also being its biggest weakness - without that advantage, the Stormers had little else.

The All Blacks' two brief lapses against the Pumas in Christchurch were more mental than physical and coach Steve Hansen, who called the rolling maul "bloody boring" in the wake of the test, will make sure both minds and bodies are suitably prepared in Johannesburg this week.

"We let in a couple of tries from the Argentines' driving and it's probably somewhere they [Springboks] will look at trying to attack us this week as well. We need to work on that during the week and make sure we get it right come Saturday night," lock Brodie Retallick told a press conference.

"We probably need to stop them getting forward momentum. The Argentines sort of rolled around the front of us and we didn't adapt to that so if we can hit it and get it moving backwards while keeping it square then hopefully they've got no option but to play the ball off the back of the maul. That's something you've got to adapt to on the run and as you saw it's not that easy to do."

Assistant coach Ian Foster, sitting alongside Retallick, also gave an insight into the Boks' capabilities on attack. But whether they have the confidence to go for all-out attack after losing to the Wallabies in the final seconds the week before remains to be seen.

"They've certainly freed up their game considerably and use a lot more counter-attack ball and turnover ball and have become really good at it and we saw that not only in the Rugby Championship but also on the end of year tour," Foster said.

"They certainly make it hard for us now - they are playing with a lot more options.

"They've got a 15-man game and have the talent to do that."