Springboks must show decisive play to beat All Blacks in greatest rivalry

Ahead of the upcoming match against the All Blacks at FNB Stadium on Saturday, Springboks players have shown confidence similar to that before a World Cup playoff. The team approaches this confrontation, dubbed the 'Clash in the Calabash,' with a mentality that helped them win major trophies.

Assistant coach Mzwandile Stik noted that the team is employing the same tactics that helped them win in the most significant tournaments. In their recent history, there has often been a decisive response following an early defeat.

The Springboks lost their first match against the All Blacks at Ellis Park but managed to balance the series by playing in Cape Town last week. Now that the series score is 1–1, they head to Soccer City, knowing that a victory will bring them closer to winning the series.

Approach to the Series

Stik stated: 'From the beginning, we said we would treat this series like a World Cup playoff campaign.' This mindset explains the stability of the Springboks squad this week, as only changes due to injuries were made to the team that defeated New Zealand in Cape Town.

The All Blacks, in turn, draw confidence from their past success at Highveld in the professional era. Stik understands that the team will not be intimidated by the altitude, and he is also aware of what is at stake for New Zealand. He added: 'If they win tomorrow, they will claim they beat us 2–1 on our ground, so we know exactly what drives them. We also want to defend what we represent as South Africans.'

He emphasized that regardless of the outcome, the winner will gain a real chance to win the broader series during the fourth match in Baltimore, while the losing team will only be able to level the score. Both teams will desperately need a result.

Tactical Aspects of the Match

Stik expects the battle to be very tough, especially in the contest for the ball after contact. 'We were weak in the ball contest in the first match, but we didn't concede any in the second. We still want to improve our play in this area because we know they will target it again with selected players. If we want to create opportunities, we must be clinical in this regard.'

The Springboks also plan to utilize their traditional strengths to limit the attacking potential of the All Blacks. Stik noted: 'Set-piece play is one of our biggest attacking platforms; we want to move forward, we have never been a team that bypasses contact, so if we get opportunities in the scrum or lineout, we will try to dominate.'

He continued that New Zealand will want to keep the ball in play and avoid contesting the ball and set pieces, which aligns with their game plan, but the Springboks know what suits them better.

The South Africans previously followed a similar path to success: they lost matches in the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, as well as the 2021 British & Irish Lions series, but then responded with an unbeaten run and ultimately lifted the trophy.

Stik explained that the changes made after the first match were mainly forced, and some were due to injuries. He added that the players understand the series plan, as in such situations at the World Cup, you always want to field the strongest available squad. Although some young players who got a chance to shine were unlucky, several veterans returned from injury and immediately took their positions.

The All Blacks have made adjustments to their squad, although Stik believes the core of their team remains unchanged. 'New Zealand has made a few changes, but you probably know their best 23-man squad, and the core of their team hasn't changed much. They have combinations that work.'

Since the series is tense, Stik believes it lives up to all expectations. 'This rivalry justifies its name, perhaps the best in the world historically, and people get value for their tickets because you never know who will win.'

Rassie Erasmus emphasized the importance for the Springboks of playing home matches in 2026, especially the third game against the All Blacks, which will allow them to avoid losing the series.

Erasmus explained that the series is extremely important for the team, which they desperately want to win. After losing the first game and winning the second, the team decided to keep the squad, considering it the best decision for one of the key matches of the series.

He noted: 'We cannot win (the series) this Saturday, but we can guarantee that we won't lose it, as the last match will be either a draw or (a complete victory in the series). Therefore, we just feel that this is the best team to achieve our goal this weekend.'

Next week, the 'Greatest Rivalry' tour will conclude in Baltimore, making the match at the FNB stadium near Soweto the last for the Boks in the country in 2026. Erasmus added: 'This is our last match on South African soil in 2026. We would like to give our fans a victory.'

If the team does not resolve its defensive issues, the All Blacks may take advantage of it. In the first two matches, the All Blacks repeatedly caught the Boks off guard in wide areas where an unprotected player was always present. The Kiwis scored nine points against four South Africans.

Erasmus commented on the Kiwis' game, noting: 'They were brilliant in the wide areas. That is what they do very well under Dave Rennie. Under his attacking coach, they are hard to stop.'

He also spoke about Mike Blair, the former Scottish midfielder recruited by Rennie: 'Their two halves were the result of individual defensive errors. They beat us and outsmarted us in the other two, and we must be ready for that. So this is an area where we must improve.'

Furthermore, Erasmus stated that the South Africans had to work harder for their points than their opponents because the Kiwis have players who individually surpass the Boks players physically: 'Undoubtedly, that is something we must fix.'

Erasmus formed a starting lineup that differs only slightly from the squad that won in Cape Town. Damian Willemse was replaced by Cheslin Kolbe at fullback, and Kurt-Lee Arendse plays on the flank instead of Kolbe. Recently, before last week's match, Erasmus fielded a reserve front line consisting of Gerhard Steenkamp, Dion Fourie, and Thomas du Toit in the starting lineup, while Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, and Vilko Lou played on the bench.

Erasmus explained how this was possible: 'We did it, it worked. I see that there was some issue with this. But an hour before the match, when you submit your player list, if they are in your 23-man squad, you can change the entire bench and start other guys if you want.'

He confirmed the legality of this action: 'It complies with the rules of the game. Frankly, we thought it would be a very wet match, and there is no doubt that heavier players scrum better on heavy fields, and lighter ones on firm fields. This weekend we plan to stick to this starting lineup.'

The Springboks team is under serious pressure as they need to defeat the All Blacks in Cape Town to maintain a chance of winning the series. History shows that the Springboks demonstrate the greatest danger when in a difficult position, and all attention is focused on Cape Town before the second match, which South Africa cannot afford to lose.

The All Blacks have gained an unexpected advantage, as they lead the four-match series after their impressive 33-16 victory at Ellis Park last Saturday, putting the Springboks in a position that requires a win to stay in contention.

In the upcoming clash, which will take place at DHL Stadium on Saturday, there will be a new referee—Angus Gardner from Australia, whose appointment was confirmed by World Rugby. Initially, Gardner was scheduled to officiate the third match in Johannesburg next week, but due to the illness of Nicky Amashukeli from Georgia, Amashukeli will now take over Gardner's initial duties in Johannesburg.

For the Springboks, the main focus is on actions between the lines. The team has repeatedly proven its ability to cope with setbacks, learn from them, and respond with play that can change the course of the series or tournament. They demonstrated this against the British Lions in 2021, recovering from a 22-17 loss in the first match and winning the series 2-1.

Past examples are also recalled: in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, they lost to New Zealand in the group stage but subsequently won the Webb Ellis Cup. Four years later, a loss to Ireland in France was replaced by a remarkable run towards a second consecutive World Cup title. Furthermore, last year, after losing to Australia 38-22 at Ellis Park, the Springboks managed to rally and retain the Rugby Championship title for the first time in history.

The ability to move on quickly will be tested again in Cape Town. Prop Thomas du Toit stated that the players deliberately left the Ellis Park defeat behind after careful analysis conducted on Monday. Du Toit noted: 'I think the most important thing for us was to postpone this game and learn lessons as quickly as possible.' He added that the team performed excellently over the last two years, placing each individual game in its own frame and not dwelling on mistakes.

Du Toit emphasized that the team embraced the positive aspects and worked on the worst aspects of the game, saying it was 'so simple'. Nevertheless, he acknowledged the significance of Saturday, noting: 'There is this undertone to what this event represents. However, the reality is that we want to win on Saturday, and what we do during the week will matter.'

The All Blacks team is also well aware of the challenges ahead. Coach Dave Rennie expects the injured Springboks team to play aggressively but warned that New Zealand must also improve its game to repeat the success at Ellis Park. Rennie stated: 'We know the Boks will come out to give their all for a possible comeback. They will obviously be very disappointed after last weekend.' He also mentioned that he is well aware of how the Springboks recovered last year after losing to them in Wellington.

However, Rennie insists that the All Blacks will not simply defend and maintain their 1-0 lead. He believes that the Springboks at peak form are difficult to beat anywhere, but they said they would be better than last weekend. 'We have to raise our level because we know the Boks will be better too. We will mainly focus on what we can bring, rather than entirely on what the Boks can bring.'