Tension has escalated between the Springboks and All Blacks ahead of the third of four matches in the greatest rugby rivalry, which will take place at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon. This week in South African rugby has been eventful, including global discussions about aviation incidents and heated verbal exchanges when respected New Zealanders accused the Springboks of 'stepping' during scrums.
The Erasmus vs. Rennie Dispute: The Scrum War
New Zealand coach Dave Rennie provoked the conflict by publicly questioning the Springboks' scrum technique in Cape Town and accusing the South African squad of deliberate 'stepping' when securing the ball. Erasmus, who never shies away from arguments, responded with fierce defense of his forwards. As Koopman noted, the series is beginning to suffer from this 'artificially created drama.'
Meanwhile, Springboks scrum guru Daan Human insists that their focus is solely on moving forward, not on playing for the sake of play. Podcast team members called on both sides to abandon the theatricality. Sports commentator IOL Leighton Koopman aptly wrote that it is time to silence the noise and let the great rugby rivalry speak for itself.
The tension is increasing ahead of the third match in Johannesburg, part of the great rivalry. After a tense battle in Cape Town last weekend, which ended in a Springboks victory, the series is finely balanced at 1-1 after New Zealand won the first match in Ellis Park. Returning to Highveld, both teams will seek an advantage to take the lead before the final match in Baltimore, USA, next Saturday.
A review of five key player matchups that could influence this match at FNB Stadium in Soweto was presented. Springboks midfielder Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu aims to assert his authority over the All Blacks in the third match in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Springboks Women Know That One Good Midfielder Is Not Enough Against the Black Ferns
The Springboks women's team understands that one strong midfielder in rugby will not be enough to defeat the Black Ferns at FNB Stadium on Saturday (starting at 13:30). History has already shown them the reason for this. When South Africa met New Zealand in the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-finals last year in Exeter, England, they were level at halftime, but then the Black Ferns took control after the break and ultimately won 46-17.
Vice-captain Libby Jansen van Rensburg believes that the lesson from Exeter remains fresh even almost a year later. 'We had a plan, and it worked in the first half when we were leading 10-10,' said Jansen van Rensburg. 'We did not maintain that composure in the second half, and that allowed them to pull ahead. We cannot afford to only have one half; we need to play equally well in both.'
This consistency will be a central element of South Africa's hopes against the world's second-ranked New Zealand team. The All Blacks plan to utilize the altitude when facing the Springboks in the third match of the greatest rugby rivalry at FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday.
The All Blacks are confident that they have adapted sufficiently to the altitude of Johannesburg, having spent half of this week training in Cape Town for the second match. Any other team in world rugby would likely have flown out on Sunday after the second match in Cape Town to acclimatize to what the thin air at FNB Stadium in Soweto requires on Saturday (starting at 17:10).
However, the New Zealanders, who defeated the Springboks in the first match of the greatest rugby rivalry in Ellis Park, believe they are accustomed to what the altitude demands. This is why coach Dave Rennie allowed his players to spend more time in Cape Town, where they had the beach and sufficient support.
Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stik expects the All Blacks to stick to their attacking DNA in the third match of the greatest rugby rivalry on Saturday in Soweto. New Zealand demonstrated during their tour a desire to keep the ball in play and challenge the defensive structure with attack, rather than simply giving up possession. As a result, they scored nine tries in two matches, and their attack proved difficult to contain, even for such clinical defense as the Boks'.
Since the series is at 1-1 after the Springboks' 33-26 victory in Cape Town last weekend, Stik believes the All Blacks will maintain their approach. They included hooker Asafu Amua, lock Sam Darby, and winger Peter Lakai, known for their carrying ability, in the starting lineup, leaving powerful reserves on the bench for the match.
Siya Kolisi made a frank statement before the third match on Saturday against the All Blacks: the Springboks are aiming to win the series—no less—and they will attack to win. Despite the greatest rugby rivalry being at 1-1, the Springboks captain stated that there will be no safe football in Soccer City, as the world champions aim to take control of the series and keep the Freedom Cup in South Africa's hands.