Mehrtens expressed his admiration for the Springboks' consistency on the I Love Rugby podcast, noting, "You've got to be on your game for 80 minutes against the Springboks and that’s good, they’re the world champions. For them to be at 95 points [in the world rankings] after just beating the second-ranked team, that’s an extraordinary achievement."
The New Zealand rugby legend highlighted the beneficial impact of the series on both participating nations. "I thought it was wonderful for the sport, fantastic for both countries, hopefully it’s worked well for South Africa in terms of getting more profile," Mehrtens commented, also hoping the rivalry brings similar benefits to New Zealand in the future.
"We could have been competitive in that whole series and lost it 4-0, I thought 4-0 was a realistic possibility,"
Mehrtens reflected on the series, where despite the overall loss, he was thrilled by the All Blacks' performance, particularly their ability to snatch a victory in what he thought was the toughest test: the first match in Johannesburg. "To win that I was absolutely overjoyed. The rub of the green probably favoured the All Blacks in that Test, I think the rub of the green favoured the Boks a little bit in the second Test in Cape Town."
He praised the competitive spirit shown in the early stages of the series. "To be 1-1 after Cape Town was a good achievement."
Discussing tactics, Mehrtens supported the All Blacks' high-risk game plan under coach Dave Rennie. "To lose 3-1, result-wise that’s disappointing but performance-wise I just thought it was fantastic," he remarked. Advocating for the aggressive approach, he said, "For our guys to go across to what is the toughest environment in world rugby, our best chance of winning any of those games and the series was to move the ball around and have a go."
Despite the mixed results, Mehrtens admired the All Blacks' execution. "When we were good, we were very, very good and then mistakes happened. You look at Arendse’s try in the Test in Baltimore, there’s just that pressure." This approach, though high-risk, was seen as necessary given the formidable opposition posed by the Springboks.
In summary, the series not only demonstrated the high level at which international rugby is played but also underscored the thin margins between success and defeat. Both teams showcased why they are considered among the elite, with South Africa affirming their world champion status and New Zealand proving their resilience and capability to challenge the best. It's clear that as rivals, they push each other to greater heights, enriching the sport with every clash.
