All four teams in the Rugby Championship came out of the first two games, and each won round three sees the Titans clash as the All Blacks hold Springbok at Eden Park.
Springbok defeated New Zealand twice on the way to last year’s rugby championship title, winning 31-27 in Johannesburg and 18-12 in Cape Town. This year, it’s All Black that has a home advantage over this collision and follow-up fixture in Wellington a week later.
South Africa won the last two Rugby World Cup titles in addition to last year’s rugby championship, but the All Blacks are sneaking into the top spot in the world’s rugby rankings.
It will be at stake as it will be a critical victory in the race against more silverware as the two great rivals fight again.
Important details:
Date: Saturday, September 6th at 9:05am (7:05pm Auckland Time, 7:05am GMT)
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Judgment: Carl Dixon
How to watch: Matches are available on SuperSport.
Team News:
Siya Kolisi starts with the eighth man in Springboks, but Jesse Kriel holds the captain of this test despite the Springbok captain recovering from his injury.
Rassie Erasmus claims that this is just a logistics choice for the current Match Week where Kolisi is fighting for speed for fitness, and then Kolisi will return as captain, assuming he is in a perfect fit.
“Sya went out to the game early in the week after picking up Niggle a few weeks ago and didn’t want to risk him unnecessarily, but it was clear that Jean-Look du Preis, who picked up Niggle in training this week, would be slotted eighth at number 8,” Erasmus said.
“At that stage, Jesse was already said to be the captain and it was fair that we kept things like that. He is a great leader of our team and one of the core players of our team. The umpire and his teammates are good.
“It will be a great opportunity for him to captain a team against the All Blacks for the first time, so we are proud of Jesse and we know that he will convey this responsibility with great pride.”
Kolisi has joined the experienced Springbok forward pack with Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph Du Toit.
For the All Blacks, Ardie Savea will play his 100th Test alongside Kolisi and Co. In a notable selection call, Emoni Narawa nods to the wings before Sevu Reece, partnering with Rieko Ioane.
Springbox Team:
Willie Lee Lou, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kryel, Damian the Allen, Canaan Moody, Handle Pollard, Grelim, Siya Kolisi, Peter Stop, Run Note, Thomas You Two, Thomas You
Alternatives: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Boan Venter, Wilco Louw, Lood de Jager, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker
All Black Teams:
Will Jordan, Emoni Narawa, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett, Lieko Ioane, Borden Barrett, Finlay Christie, Wallace Cititty, Ardy Saver, Simon Parker, Toupo Vaai, Scott Barrett, Fletcher Newell, Cord Taylor, Ethan Groot
Alternatives: Redock Ta’okiho, Tyrel Lomaax, fibilessissississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississississis
statistics
The Springboks have won the final four Tests against the All Blacks.
The Springboks last defeated the All Blacks at Eden Park in 1937.
In New Zealand, only one of the last 10 matches between Springbok and the All Blacks was played. The match in 2023 was New Zealand’s final victory over South Africa (35-20 at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland).