News
Muliaina eyes up the Boks
August 10 2008
Far from fearing the prospect of facing the world champions on their own turf, New Zealand fullback Mil Muliaina is looking forward to his date with the Springboks in Cape Town on Saturday.
The veteran of 62 Tests has lost only one Tri-Nations campaign in the five seasons and even that, in 2004, saw New Zealand still with a chance going into the final match against Australia in Sydney.
But the statistics are not so good when the All Blacks' record in South Africa under Graham Henry is scrutinised, with only two wins in five Tests - a 40 per cent win ratio which is way below the 85 per cent win ratio during the same period.
Muliaina, however, welcomes the pressure of knowing they need to succeed in South Africa if they are to stand a chance of retaining the Tri-Nations this year.
"It is a tight competition. We have lost a couple. Perhaps in the past we have won early on and I think one year we had already won it before we went to South Africa," he told the Herald on Sunday.
"It's a new challenge. There are new guys in our team and we have to help them through, to make them realise this is not Super 14. This is Test match rugby and it is pressure-cooker stuff and you have to try to really soak it up. I'm enjoying that.
"The Wallabies hurt us in Sydney but desire and desperation came out last weekend and we have to take that physicality in against the Springboks.
"We have seen that a lot can happen in one week. But that's the standard we have set ourselves now and we can't go below it.
"We have set a benchmark now and we can't afford to go backwards or we will come second."
The 28-year-old admits playing in South Africa presents its own unique challenges, which make it the toughest road trip in the world game.
"It is a massive build-up, the week is so intense and the difference between that and the Super 14 is that the whole country gets right behind them and that can be a bit intimidating," he added.
"It is really hard to win in their backyard but we are going there to play well and hopefully come away with the win.
"You don't get out of the hotel much and when you do, you tend to go out as a team. That is one of the obstacles you have to face."