All Blacks Captain Ardie Savea: Match against Springboks at Ellis Park Stadium Evokes Strong Emotions

All Blacks coach Dave Rennie expresses confidence that captain Ardie Savea is ready to play actively against the Springboks at Ellis Park stadium. Rennie believes that the All Blacks can gain a significant early advantage by winning the first match of the series.

The Greatest Rivalry Duel in Rugby

Rennie acknowledged the importance of winning the opening test match of the series, which is part of the greatest rivalry duel in rugby, similar to his colleague from the Springboks, Siya Erasmus. He noted that while losing the first match does not mean the end, both teams aim to start the series successfully. Given that the tour will be very intense, a win in the first match will have a positive impact.

The team received substantial squad reinforcement with the return of three key players after injuries before the start of the series. Will Jordan, Cam Roigard, and Damian McKenzie overcame fitness issues. However, the visitors lost influential back-rowers Billy Proctor and Caleb Clarke, who will not participate in the tour.

McKenzie, who will handle the main drop-goal kicking duties, was a major concern after a ankle sprain during the game against the Sharks, but Rennie is confident in his readiness. He stated that Damian spent most of Tuesday's training sessions and feels well, so the team is confident in his participation. The return of these players, including Will and Cam, who showed great effect at the World Cup, is a big plus.

The return of captain Ardie Savea was another significant boost for New Zealand. Savea, who will receive his 110th Test cap on Saturday, rested after the World Cup and only joined the team after the match against the Sharks. Rennie added that Ardie joined them in full fighting condition. He noted that it was useful for him to take a break from rugby and spend time with his family, and that he missed it very much. Savea trained intensively upon his return and quickly integrated into the team, having been with them for almost a month and a half.

Rennie admitted that the final squad selection created a pleasant headache because many reserve players demonstrated good form and created strong competition for spots. There were several positions that required long discussions.

The battle for the second row spot was particularly fierce between Patrick Tuipulotu, Sam Darby, and Tuopo Vaai. Rennie emphasized how good Patrick Tuipulotu was against Ireland, and also noted that Sam Darby is a large player with an excellent skill set and powerful endurance.

Affirming Erasmus's opinion, Rennie stressed that the depth of the squad will be seriously tested over the four test matches. He concluded that the team plans to use more than 23 players throughout this tour, given the intensity of the test series, and that other players will certainly get their chances.

Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has demonstrated an ability to change the course of play for the Springboks over the last few years. Amid the intensification of the main rugby rivalry, the emergence of the brilliant flyhalf Richie Mo’unga has attracted significant attention.

For two years, while Scott Robertson was managing the All Blacks, Mo'unga was in Japan, playing for Toshiba Brave Lupus under Dave Rennie. Mo'unga left New Zealand after the loss to the Springboks in the 2023 World Cup final—a match he nearly won for the New Zealand squad. Meanwhile, in South Africa, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was gaining momentum, whose play could resemble Mo'unga's audacious style.

It can be argued that since the last World Cup, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has become the Richie Mo'unga that the All Blacks desire. However, the 32-year-old player could not join the All Blacks due to an outdated rule requiring player residency in New Zealand for selection eligibility.

Mo'unga removed this obstacle by recently returning to Christchurch, where he played for Canterbury in the National Provincial Championship last week. The opportunity arose for him last week when Billy Proctor sustained an injury that ruled him out of the tour against the Stormers. Even before the doctor gave his prognosis, Rennie contacted Mo'unga.

Simply put, Mo'unga possesses a high level of skill. The All Blacks could not afford to leave him at home. Between his international debut in 2018 and his last match in 2023, Mo'unga played a key role in winning five Rugby Championship titles for the All Blacks. He also led seven Super Rugby winning campaigns for the Crusaders.

Naturally, Mo'unga will need to adapt to the current systems within the All Blacks camp. Nevertheless, he and Rennie have likely been in regular discussions since Rennie was appointed to this position on March 4th of this year. They also discussed many matters in Japan during the three months Rennie was still under contract with Brave Lupus.

Mo'unga missed matches against the Stormers and Sharks and is not included in the squad for the game against the Bulls this Saturday, making a start in the first Test unlikely. The only provincial match before this major opening fixture in Ellis Park will be on Tuesday against the Lions. Mo'unga might get game time in this match and then be ready to start the second Test in Cape Town.

However, a more probable and bold scenario is that he will be on the bench in the first Test. He is too good to be excluded from such a crucial opening confrontation in the four-match series. His participation changes the dynamic of the flyhalf battle. The Springboks possess the emerging brilliance of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, the attacking instincts of Mani Libbok, and the experience and temperament in big matches of Hendre Pollard. Now the All Blacks can respond with Mo'unga, Ruben Law, and Beauden Barrett. This depth at number 10 could prove decisive, given the level of attrition expected from the four Tests between these two heavyweight rivals. Thus, we may see a clash between Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu versus Richie Mo'unga, Mani Libbok versus Ruben Law, and Hendre Pollard versus Beauden Barrett. That is a solid collection of flyhalves.