Springboks v All Blacks: Rassie Changes Course, Rennie Holds His Nerve.

South Africa have responded to their Ellis Park defeat by turning to experience. New Zealand have largely backed the side and strategy that beat them. So who has made the smarter move ahead of Cape Town?

Rennie backs the formula that worked

Now we have Dave Rennie’s answer, whilst Rassie Erasmus has reacted significantly to defeat, Rennie has largely resisted the temptation to tamper with a winning formula.

There are three changes to the starting XV, with George Bower coming in at loosehead, Simon Parker joins the back row and Leroy Carter starts on the wing.

But perhaps what Rennie hasn’t changed tells us more.

Cam Roigard and Ruben Love remain together at half-back.

Jordie Barrett and Quinn Tupaea continue in midfield.

Will Jordan remains on the wing with Damian McKenzie at full-back.

And Asafo Aumua, whose introduction coincided with that dramatic turnaround at scrum-time at Ellis Park; remains on the bench.

That last decision is particularly interesting.

Rennie could easily have rewarded Aumua with a starting place.

Instead, he appears to value the disruption Aumua, Fletcher Newell and the replacement forwards can bring later in the contest.

Plus remember what happened last weekend, South Africa dominated the scrum for much of the first hour. Then New Zealand changed personnel and suddenly the contest changed.

So while Rassie has responded by bringing Handré Pollard and Cobus Reinach into his starting side, Rennie’s message feels rather different:

We won. You change. We’ll back what worked.

That gives Saturday’s contest another fascinating dimension.

South Africa have attempted to solve the problems New Zealand presented at Ellis Park.

Now the All Blacks have to find out whether those solutions actually work.