With all four teams in the Rugby Championship coming out of the first two games with a win apiece, round 3 sees a clash of the titans as the All Blacks host the Springboks at Eden Park.
The Springboks beat New Zealand twice en route to last year’s Rugby Championship title, winning 31-27 in Johannesburg and 18-12 in Cape Town. This year, it is the All Blacks who have home advantage for this clash and the follow-up fixture in Wellington a week later.
South Africa have won the last two Rugby World Cup titles in addition to last year’s Rugby Championship, but the All Blacks have snuck ahead of them into top spot in the World Rugby rankings.
That – as well as a vital victory in the race to more silverware – will be at stake as two great rivals do battle once again.
Key details:
Date: Saturday, September 6 at 9:05 AM CAT (7:05 PM Auckland Time, 7:05 AM GMT)
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Karl Dickson
How to watch: The match is available on SuperSport.
Team news:
Siya Kolisi will start at eighth man for the Springboks, but Jesse Kriel will retain the captaincy for this Test despite the usual Springbok captain’s recovery from injury.
Rassie Erasmus has claimed that this was merely a logistical choice for the current match week where Kolisi is getting back up to speed and battling for fitness, and that Kolisi would return as captain thereafter assuming he was fully fit.
“Siya was touch and go for the match earlier in the week after picking up a niggle a few weeks ago, and we didn’t want to risk him unnecessarily, but with Jean-Luc du Preez having picked up a niggle at training this week, Siya was the obvious choice to slot in at No 8,” Erasmus said.
“At that stage, Jesse had already been told he would be the captain, and it was only fair for us to keep things that way. He’s a great leader and one of the core players in our team. His communication with the referee and his teammates is good, and he leads by example in the way he plays, so he deserves this opportunity.
“It will also be a big occasion for him to captain the team against the All Blacks for the first time, so we are proud of Jesse, and we know he’ll carry this responsibility with great pride.”
Kolisi is joined by Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit in an experienced Springbok forward pack.
For the All Blacks, Ardie Savea will play his 100th Test as he lines up against Kolisi and co. In a notable selection call, Emoni Narawa gets the nod on the wing ahead of Sevu Reece to partner Rieko Ioane.
Springboks team:
Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard, Grant Williams, Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje, Eben Etzebeth, Thomas du Toit, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche
Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Boan Venter, Wilco Louw, Lood de Jager, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker
All Blacks team:
Will Jordan, Emoni Narawa, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Finlay Christie, Wallace Sititi, Ardie Savea, Simon Parker, Tupou Vaa’i, Scott Barrett, Fletcher Newell, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot
Replacements: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams, Tyrel Lomax, Fabian Holland, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Kyle Preston, Quinn Tupaea, Damian McKenzie
Stats
The Springboks have won their last four Tests against the All Blacks.
The last time the Springboks defeated the All Blacks at Eden Park was in 1937.
Only one of the last 10 matches between the Springboks and the All Blacks has taken place in New Zealand. That match, in 2023, was New Zealand’s last win over South Africa (35-20 at Auckland’s Mount Smart Stadium).
