When the Springboks and the All Blacks clash, fireworks are guaranteed — both between the four lines and well beyond them as has been evident this week ahead of the third of four Tests of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It has been a whirlwind week in South African rugby — from plummeting aircrafts that has seen the whole world talking, to a bitter war of words as the revered New Zealanders turned to become “cry babies” accusing the Springboks of “walking” during scrums.
Erasmus vs. Rennie: The Scrum War
New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie sparked the fire by publicly questioning the Springboks’ scrum techniques in Cape Town, accusing the South African pack of deliberately “walking around” at the set-piece.
Erasmus, never one to back down, launched a furious, expletive-laden defense of his forwards. As Koopman pointed out during the discussion, the series is starting to suffer from this “manufactured drama”.
With Bok scrum guru Daan Human insisting their focus is purely on forward momentum rather than gamesmanship, the podcast crew urged both camps to leave the theatrics behind. As IOL Sport rugby writer Leighton Koopman fittingly wrote this week, it is time to shut out the noise and let the greatest rivalry in rugby do the talking.
Five key battles that could shape the third Test in Soweto
The scene is set for a humdinger of a third Test between the Springboks and All Blacks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry in Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon.
Following last weekend’s nail-biting clash in Cape Town, which resulted in victory for the Springboks, the series is delicately balanced at 1-1 after New Zealand won at Ellis Park in the first clash. Back on the Highveld, both teams will look for an edge to take the lead into the final Test in Baltimore, USA, next Saturday.
Springboks flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will look to stamp his authority on the All Blacks in the Third Test on Saturday in Johannesburg.
Springbok Women know one good half won’t be enough against Black Ferns
The Springbok Women know that one good half of rugby will not be enough to beat the Black Ferns at FNB Stadium on Saturday (1.30pm kick-off) — and history has already shown them why.
When South Africa faced New Zealand in last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Exeter, England, they went into half-time level with their opponents before the Black Ferns took control of the clash after the break to eventually win 46-17.
Vice-captain Libbie Janse van Rensburg believes the lesson from Exeter is still fresh almost a year later.
“We had a plan and it worked for the first half, when we were 10-10,” Janse van Rensburg said. “We did not maintain that composure in the second half and that allowed them to run away with it. We cannot afford just one half, we need to play equally well in both.”
That consistency will be central to South Africa’s hopes against a New Zealand side ranked second in the world.
The All Blacks will embrace the altitude factor when they face the Springboks on Saturday in the third Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry at FNB Stadium in Soweto.
All Blacks embrace altitude as Springboks face pressure in Soweto showdown
The All Blacks are confident they have adapted enough to the altitude of Johannesburg, so much so that they spent half of this week preparing in Cape Town for the second Test.
However, the New Zealanders – having beaten the Springboks at Ellis Park in the opening match of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry – feel they are accustomed to what the height above sea level will ask of them. That is why head coach Dave Rennie allowed his players to spend more time in Cape Town, where they had the beach and ample support around them.
Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick says they expect the All Blacks to stay true to their running game in the third Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry on Saturday in Soweto.
Mzwandile Stick expects All Blacks to stay true to attacking DNA in pivotal FNB Stadium Test
The All Blacks have made no secret of how they intend to approach Saturday’s decisive Test against the Springboks at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, and Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick expects them to stick firmly to their attacking DNA.
New Zealand have shown throughout their tour that they want to keep the ball in play, and to challenge defensive structure with their attack, rather than simply kicking possession away. In the process they’ve scored nine tries in two Tests and their attack has proved difficult to contain, even for a defence as clinical as the Boks’.
With the series level at 1-all following the Springboks’ 33-26 victory in Cape Town last weekend, Stick believes the All Blacks will remain true to their approach. They brought in hooker Asafo Aumua, lock Sam Darry and flanker Peter Lakai known for their ball-carrying abilities into the starting team, while leaving the powerful replacements on the bench for the clash. READ MORE….
On the verge of surpassing John Smit’s record of 55 Test wins as captain, Siya Kolisi brushes off personal milestones ahead of a vital All Blacks clash.
Siya Kolisi’s blunt Springboks message: Only series victory will do against All Blacks
Siya Kolisi has issued a candid message ahead of Saturday’s third Test against theAll Blacks: theSpringboksare going for the series win — nothing less, and they will attack to win.
WithRugby’s Greatest Rivalrylocked at 1–1, the Springbok captain says there will be no playing it safe at Soccer City as the world champions look to take control of the series and keep the Freedom Cup in South African hands.
“We want to win the series; we’re not playing to draw it,” Kolisi said on Friday. “We’re going to Soweto to try to win the game.”
The Boks have treated the series like a World Cup knockout campaign from the outset, according to Kolisi. After losing the opening Test at Ellis Park, they fought back to level the series in Cape Town last weekend.
Now they want to finish the job in South Africa before travelling to the USA to wrap up the series. READ MORE….
The Springbok starting lineup to face the All Blacks features 15 players from 15 different high schools, breaking away from traditional rugby powerhouse dominance.
From 15 schools to one team: The unique Springbok starting XV against the All Blacks
WhileSpringbokselection usually favours continuity — especially during an intense four-match series against theAll Blacks — Saturday’s starting lineup brings a remarkable twist: all 15 players hail from completely different high schools.
South Africa’s elite schoolboyrugby landscapeis traditionally dominated by a select group of powerhouse institutions, often referred to as the “Big Five,” alongside a handful of regional giants. These traditional rugby factories consistently top national rankings and supply the bulk of international talent.
The “Big Five” typically includes Grey College (Bloemfontein), Paul Roos Gimnasium (Stellenbosch), Paarl Boys’ High (Paarl), Paarl Gimnasium (Paarl), and Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Pretoria).
Yet, Saturday’s team features only a single player from these historic strongholds: scrumhalfCobus Reinach, an alumnus of Grey College. READ MORE…..
Social Media users put their weight behind two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka after she complained about "someone smoking weed", which prompted her to briefly halt play midway through her round three match against Kamilla Rakhimova at the Louis Armstrong Stadium. Sabalenka complained to the chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore about the apparent weed smell and later also joked that she "might get high" due to it. Following Sabalenka's 6-3, 6-4 win, […]
