Comment
This All Blacks side for the fourth Test in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry is arguably the most balanced one selected during the series and will give them their best chance of winning in Baltimore and drawing the series 2-2.
Richie Mo’unga’s return at flyhalf spells trouble for the Springboks. Anton Lienert-Brown brings a physical presence in the midfield, while two veteran backline aces in Rieko Ioane and Beauden Barrett will add an element of versatility to the replacement bench.
However, the one thing they have in common, alongside the return of captain Codie Taylor, loosehead Ethan de Groot and tighthead Fletcher Newell, is experience.
And this experienced side packed with returning All Black ‘grandpas’, despite the loss of inspirational captain Ardie Savea, has the goods to challenge the Boks.
Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium will be the scene for the finale, and with head coach Dave Rennie bringing in his veteran players, it spells trouble for South Africa.
The All Blacks have been building towards this final Test throughout the series, and while they have suffered two tough back-to-back defeats against the world champions, they have also shown enough in the first three Tests to suggest that they are capable of pushing the Boks all the way.
Their victory at Ellis Park in the opening Test showed just how dangerous they can be when they get their execution right, while the second and third Tests were decided by fine margins despite South Africa eventually taking control of the series.
Now, with the experience of veterans who have been involved in some of the biggest Tests on the international stage, the All Blacks have given themselves a strong platform from which to attack the Boks. Some might look at the changes as the equivalent of the saying: ‘when pushed into a corner, people do strange things’, however, the changes bring special players to the fold.
Mo’unga’s return is arguably the biggest statement of intent. His ability to control a Test, manage territory and create opportunities with his kicking and passing game gives New Zealand another dimension. He will be a handful for the Bok defence and has the ability to manipulate space with his runs and smart kicks.
Then there is the versatility on the bench, where Ioane and Barrett can both have a major impact as the game opens up. They have shown their lethal finishing in the midweek tour matches, and their
For the Boks, the challenge will be to match that experience and intensity while ensuring they do not allow the All Blacks to dictate the tempo.
South Africa have already shown their ability to respond under pressure in this series, coming from 1-0 down to take a 2-1 lead. But Rennie’s selection suggests New Zealand are not in Baltimore simply to compete, they are there to win and share the spoils in the first-ever Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
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