All Blacks coach wary of Springboks' multiple weapons ahead of Ellis Park battle

Since Rassie Erasmus took charge of the team back in 2018, South Africa have become renowned for their excellence in the set-pieces while the side has also innovated.

It hasn't just been trick plays and forward-heavy bench selections, with Tony Brown joining the coaching staff to improve the team's attacking structures.

Speaking from the All Blacks training on Tuesday, Umaga said that New Zealand had to be ready for anything that the Springboks had up their sleeves.

"You've got to expect a lot of what they're good at, and we know that's coming, but with the coaching staff that they have in their group, we've got to be ready for anything," he told reporters.

"We planned for the best, and we'll see how we go."

Since Dave Rennie took over from Scott Robertson as head coach of the team, the All Blacks have won every single one of their matches, starting with Test victories over France, Italy and Ireland, respectively.

However, Umaga knows that New Zealand face a far different challenge against the back-to-back world champions in their own backyard this weekend.

"Obviously, the size of their pack and just their relentless wave of big men coming at you," he replied when asked what makes the Boks different to other nations.

"I think that's going to be tough for us. As I said, they've added some really soft touches to their game with the skill set that they have within the backs. Once you concentrate on what's coming to you up front, they look for space out wide, and they look for space in behind.

"Again, if you focus on one thing, you take your eyes off another, and their ability to interchange between that. Again, that's rugby and our ability to make sure that we're focusing on what's important at this minute, then making sure we're looking in the secondary around how we can do to alleviate some of that pressure."

So what are the fundamentals they will need to get right against the Boks if they are to be successful?

"Don't give them entries into the areas that they want to get into that promote their strengths," the former All Blacks captain replied.

"Everyone talks about their set-piece, but they've grown in terms of their attacking prowess in the backs and utilising their forwards in the right spaces. The fundamentals of making sure that you look after the ball and control the ball as much as you can. So that means catching it and looking after it, but also imprint your own game. They're trying to do that on their side of the ball. We're trying to do that when we get it.

"Those that can imprint your game and build momentum- it's like the fundamentals of rugby, really. If you look after your own ball, get go-forward ball, and you're putting pressure on them, you are more than likely to come away with points. If you don't do that, then you're on the other side of that ledger."

The Greatest Rivalry tour has provided an opportunity for so many All Blacks players to visit South Africa for the first time. It used to be a regular trip for New Zealanders previously when the likes of the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers were in Super Rugby.

Regular exposure to the South African club teams won't have an impact on the Test series, according to Umaga, who revealed what he thinks the players miss most.

"You just accept what happens there and you do the best you can. Obviously, not having South Africa involved in the old Super Rugby means they don't get to travel to South Africa, so for a lot of our guys, this is their first time here," he said.

"It's actually quite exciting for a lot of our players because of that. It's been a pretty hectic schedule, so they haven't been able to get out and see the sights as you normally would when you come to South Africa, but the beauty of going away on tours and building camaraderie on both sides - both for the South African sides as well as the Oceania sides that's probably what is missed the most.

"Again it's exciting for us to come back some that have been here a few times, it's good to be back for others they're really excited around you coming to the Republic and sampling what South African rugby is at home what it's like and South African Rugby hasn't disappointed us; the fans, the communities that have come out and supported and and obviously just supported the teams that they support, they can see that it's not just us on that side of the world are fanatical about this game of rugby. It's great to see."

READ MORE: Felix Jones bracing for huge intensity in Springboks v All Blacks opening clash