Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber immediately shrugged off their Rugby Championship defeat to New Zealand as he defended their strategy with their chances of claiming the title having all but slipped away.
An impressive second-half fightback was not enough as the Springboks paid the price for a poor first 40 minutes in a 35-20 defeat to the All Blacks in Auckland.
Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi made it clear on Friday that they expected a massive battle against the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday.
The Springboks have confirmed that Eben Etzebeth will still captain the side against the All Blacks in Auckland despite suffering a personal loss.
All Blacks boss Ian Foster believes this weekend's game against South Africa will provide a clear indication of where they stand ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
Faf de Klerk says the Springboks won't crawl into their shells now that they're facing the All Blacks in New Zealand, as he called on his fellow players to step up to the occasion.