New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie has voiced concerns regarding South Africa’s scrummaging tactics ahead of their second Test scheduled in Cape Town. The All Blacks currently lead the series 1-0 following a decisive 33-16 victory at Ellis Park on Saturday, yet they faced significant challenges against the Springboks’ powerful set-piece.

Throughout the match, the All Blacks found themselves largely on the defensive but managed to secure a crucial penalty during a second-half scrum near their own posts. This penalty was pivotal in shifting the game's momentum, as the hosts were penalized for failing to drive straight.

Rennie has engaged with match officials about the Springboks’ scrum setup, emphasizing the need for improvement in his team's performance. He stated, "I think scrum-wise, obviously we’ve spoken with World Rugby around a couple of issues from our point of view. We think, scrum-wise, we’ll be a lot better, and that was a massive in for them last week."

In response to injuries, Rennie has made several changes to his lineup:

• George Bower replaces the injured Ethan de Groot on the loosehead.
• Tupou Vaa’i shifts from blindside to the second row, with Simon Parker promoted to the starting side.
• Leroy Carter takes the wing position over Josh Moorby.

The upcoming match will be officiated by Australian referee Angus Gardner, who replaces Nika Amashukeli due to illness. Springboks prop Thomas du Toit acknowledged the scrutiny on their scrummaging, stating, "We try and stay within the laws of the game as much as we can. There are always two sides to the coin."

As the rivalry intensifies, both teams gear up for a critical encounter, with the scrutiny on scrummaging tactics likely to play a significant role in the outcome.