The Proteas were back at Christchurch's Hagley Oval just four days after one of their worst performances in test cricket and their lack of fight hasn’t gone down well back home.
"Obviously, having not performed as we should have, you're always going to get some negative people around," says South African batter Sarel Erwee.
They're embarrassed after being thrashed by an innings and 276 runs, and know they need to be better.
"We were poor," admits Erwee. "People saying negative stuff, you know, we've got high standards as the Proteas."
And the Blackcaps are preparing for much tougher opponents in the second test.
"We know that they're a strong side," says Blackcaps batter Henry Nicholls. "We saw that before they came out here, the way they played against India and the success they had.
"Certainly from our perspective, we're aware of that and they’re going to be better."
Says Kyle Jamieson: "We're certainly expecting a good challenge from them coming up and what happened last week, that’s happened and we've parked that."
"Yeah, we're expecting a good challenge come Friday."
With another traditionally green Hagley wicket expected, South Africa will likely have learned from their mistakes.
"They'll be disappointed with the first test," says Nicholls. "We know, with the first ball on Friday morning, that first session, they'll be looking to set the tone, so we'll be ready for that and focus on what we're going to do."
But after the Proteas were rolled for just 95 in the first innings, after being put into bat, both sides say it's not as simple as winning the toss.
"People might think, if you win the toss and bowl first, you have the upper hand, but I think the teams that adapt quicker and learn from mistakes early on will get the upper hand," says Erwee.
The Proteas are well aware they need to front up, whichever way the coin lands on Friday morning.
Join us at 11am Friday for live updates of the second Blackcaps v South Africa test at Christchurch
