South Africa Springboks v New Zealand All Blacks, Ellis Park, Johannesburg, 2024. Caleb Clarke is tackled. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
All Blacks v Springboks
Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 6 September
Eden Park, Auckland
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
Why is this weekend's test match so huge? If you're not a massive code-head, here's a rough guide to the highly anticipated showdown between the All Blacks and Springboks.
Monday: Scott Robertson and Rassie Erasmus face the media.
Thursday: Team namings - times TBC.
Friday: Captain's runs at Eden Park.
The streak
Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The All Blacks haven't lost at Eden Park since 1994, a streak of 50 tests. It's easily the longest record of its kind in rugby history, and while there the strength of schedule has sometimes been questionable, that run does include the highest pressure World Cup final the All Blacks are ever likely to play.
The Springboks come in with the belief that they are the side with the best chance to break it, as they have a streak of their own. They've now beaten the All Blacks four times in a row, which is only second to six victories in a row achieved by their predecessors on either side of World War II.
The Boks' issues with Auckland
Nehe Milner-Skudder returns to the All Blacks starting line-up. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2017 www.photosport.nz
25 September 1937 was the last time the Springboks won on Eden Park. That side is regarded as one of the greatest to ever represent South Africa, and the Springboks have played and lost there eight times since. In comparison, the two sides have met at Ellis Park in Johannesburg 15 times in that same period.
It's not just Eden Park the Springboks have an issue with. In 2017 they suffered their heaviest ever defeat, a 57-0 hiding by the All Blacks, at North Harbour Stadium. Two years ago they lost 35-20 to the All Blacks at Mt Smart, however they have won in Auckland this century when they defeated Manu Samoa at the 2011 World Cup.
Form
Damian de Allende of the Springboks. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
While both sides' form coming into this test is below where they want to be, that has generally meant little in the past. A loss each this year is unlikely to have disrupted preparations around what will almost certainly be highly specific gameplans to deal with each other's threats across the park.
History
All Blacks and Springboks go head to head in the rugby world cup finals Photo: Rugby World Cup
This is the most important rivalry in the game, due to the All Blacks and Springboks being the two most successful teams in the amateur era and dominating most of the professional era as well. They have won seven of the 10 World Cups between them, including the last five. Then there is the off the field history, which is so entrenched in both nations' identities it is impossible to treat this as just a rugby match.
Razor vs Rassie
Scott Robertson, Rassie Erasmus Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The two most talked about coaches in the world go head to head again, with Rassie Erasmus holding a 2-0 lead over Scott Robertson so far. Erasmus is regarded as rugby's mad scientist, constantly pushing the known boundaries of the laws and creating an imperial rule over the entire South African player system.
In contrast, Robertson is still yet to feel entirely comfortable in the All Black job - at least in the eyes of the public. While his selections have been consistently conservative, the talent he's unearthed like Wallace Sititi and the performances he's getting out of Tupou Vaa'i and Tamaiti Williams have been stunning success stories.
Ultimate power
Springboks players face the Haka, 1995 Photo: PHOTOSPORT www.photosport.co.nz
While the Springboks hold the World Cup, this feels very much like a world heavyweight title fight. Both teams come in with historically different approaches to rugby, but unlike the animosity that seems to emerge when northern hemisphere teams pit their way of thinking against ours, the New Zealand and South African ways are welcomed as the ultimate style clash spectacle.
There have been high scoring thrillers, like the Ellis Park classics in 2013-14, and low scoring arm wrestles like the last World Cup final. What are we going to see at a sold out Eden Park on Saturday night? We'll have to wait and see.
