Springboks and All Blacks to meet in Baltimore for the final match of the series

The third match in the greatest rugby rivalry between the Springboks and the All Blacks will take place on Saturday afternoon in Johannesburg. The atmosphere is heated following the intense match in Cape Town, which ended with a victory for the Springboks. As a result, the series is tied at 1-1, as the New Zealand team won the first game at Ellis Park.

In Highveld, both teams aim to gain an advantage before the final match in Baltimore, USA, next Saturday. We will examine five key player duels that could influence the course of this competition, which will be held at the FNB stadium in Soweto.

The Greatest Rugby Rivalry

Springboks flyhalf, Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, intends to assert his influence over the All Blacks in the third match, which will be held on Saturday in Johannesburg.

Key Confrontations

Jasper Wiese versus Ardie Savea

The clash between these two players at number 8 is expected to set the physical tone of the game, as both are known for their powerful playing style and willingness to take risks in both attack and defense. The Boks team relies on Wiese for powerful runs and forward momentum, but his work in ball retrieval will also be crucial. Savea is the heart of the All Blacks squad, and his inspiring runs are critical for this team's fast pace. It can be expected that they will fiercely compete against each other for an advantage.

Wilko Lou versus George Bower

Bower noted his love for the scrum this week, while Lou's favorite activity on the field is creating problems for opponents in scrums. There has been fierce scrummaging since the first match, and this element of the game played a significant role off the field. It is hoped that on Saturday both teams can play in the scrum with minimal penalties from referee Nicky Amashukeli, as was the case in Cape Town. Both props will strive to provide forward movement for their team, and the battle between the destructive Lou and the stable Bower could be exciting.

Eben Ezebeta versus Tupu Vaai

This confrontation of 'heavyweights' is a battle for tempo when possessing the ball, but also a fight where physical strength in defense will be decisive in preventing the opponent's advance. This is a task for the two loose forwards (No. 4) on Saturday afternoon. Ezebeta has improved his game and was important during lineout plays, but on Saturday he will need to participate in defensive actions. Vaai will reach his milestone 50th match, and the necessity to show physical power, especially in lineout plays, will weigh on him and his team.

Cobus Reinhart versus Kame Roigard

The outcome will depend on the quality of the ball delivery from the rucks and scrums, as well as who better executes attacks and defenses between these two halfbacks. Both are expected to maintain a high tempo for their teams and make correct decisions under pressure. Reinhart will try to improve his kicking skills after a less brilliant performance in the second match in Cape Town. He will also be vital for the Boks in attack. Roigard's distribution was high quality for his backline, allowing them to attack aggressively in the early matches.

Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu versus Ruben Lav

Backline management will be crucial for the flyhalves. Currently, Lav has achieved the most success in having players run behind him. Feinberg-Mngomezulu has not yet fully established himself in the series, giving him a good opportunity to do so in such an important match. The Boks need their talisman at number 10 to launch attacks, especially if they want to start scoring more points. They have lacked this aspect. On the other hand, Lav played a key role in leading the All Blacks' attack and intends to continue showing excellent form.

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.'

It is time to set aside all secondary intrigues and allow the rivalry between the Springboks and the All Blacks to become the main event. It is necessary to reduce attention to off-field incidents, such as the complaints of New Zealand's head coach, Dave Rennie, against the Springboks after two matches.

External intrigues must give way to the game

The focus needs to shift from external intrigues in the greatest rugby rivalry to the sporting confrontation itself between the Springboks and the All Blacks before the third and decisive match, which will take place in Soweto on Saturday.

There has been a lot of noise surrounding the anticipated spectacle between the two leading rugby nations. After two tense encounters ending in a 1-1 draw, it is fair that the duel deserves more coverage.

This noise began even before the first match, overshadowing the preparation for Damian de Allende's 100th match, and continued with accusations from the New Zealand team regarding illegal scrummaging by the Springboks, even after the Springboks' victory in Cape Town, which leveled the score.

This was followed by a change in the team composition by Rassie Erasmus within the rules before the match, which caused even more controversy, and then new accusations from the All Blacks team about illegal scrummaging, to which Erasmus reacted by trying to end the topic.

The mention of two Airlink planes flying over the DHL stadium, which is a tradition in South Africa, was also made, and this was discussed almost more than the match itself in the Mother City. This attracted international attention, especially in the US, where little was said about the fourth match between the teams scheduled for next week in Baltimore.

The author believes that this confrontation has become more about events preceding and following the match than about rugby itself, and insists that it is time to put an end to this.

The series is in a tight 1-1 balance ahead of Saturday's meeting at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. The entire four-match series is at stake, where the winner is guaranteed not to lose the debut challenge. However, this was almost overshadowed by off-field incidents, and it is time to show more respect for this historic competition between the two sides.

There are enough stakes on the field. The Springboks and All Blacks do not need artificial drama, accusations, or distractions to make this rivalry exciting. The history, the rivalry itself, and what is at stake should be more than sufficient.

It is time to ignore the noise outside the field and focus on what is happening between the lines. This is the last match on South African soil, and it should not be overshadowed by further off-field antics. Rugby should speak for itself; the Greatest Rivalry deserves that.