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Fans who are quick to act and have the means can still purchase tickets for the opening match of the greatest rugby rivalry—RGR, which will take place at Ellis Park between the Springboks and All Blacks.

Although the match was announced as sold out several weeks ago, about 1000 tickets were returned for various reasons and remained on sale until Wednesday. Quick-acting fans can purchase these tickets starting from R1,650; mid-tier seats cost R2,850, and the most expensive tickets are available for R4,000.

Ticket prices have been a topic of discussion at Springboks' home matches this year, especially during the Nations Championship. Before the game against England at Ellis Park, ticket sales were initially slow, prompting organizers to implement a price reduction late in the week, which led to an attendance of approximately 53,000 people. The stadium capacity is 62,000 spectators.

Given that only a few days remain until one of the most anticipated matches in recent Springboks history, the remaining 1000 tickets are likely to sell very quickly.

Rugby legends Gary Tahmann and Sean Fitzpatrick lifted the RGR Trophy, a 65-centimeter symbol of the Springboks and All Blacks rivalry, ahead of their historic four-match tour in 2026.

The first match of the RGR tour drew 47,000 Cape Town residents who came to watch the Stormers play, with ticket prices ranging from R650 to R1,350 at Cape Town Stadium, which has a capacity of 55,000. In the second match of the tour in Durban against the Sharks, slightly fewer than 15,000 fans dared to attend despite the cold and rain. It was reported that about 25,000 tickets were sold, but about 10,000 Durban residents stayed home due to the cold.

At the Bulls game in Pretoria, 31,000 fans were present at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, which has a capacity of 50,000. The second RGR match in Cape Town next week is already sold out. The third match, which will be held at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on September 5th, is selling steadily, but tickets are still available in the price range of R1,650 to R4,000.

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.

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