By Kevin Rademeyer, Sports Journalist.
Rugby’s greatest rivalry resumes on Saturday when New Zealand and South Africa collide at Sky Stadium in Wellington, with both the Rugby Championship title race and the Freedom Cup on the line.
The All Blacks hold the edge after a 24-17 victory at Eden Park last weekend, their first win over the Springboks since 2023, and Scott Robertson’s side top the Championship standings on 10 points, one clear of Australia. The defending champions, meanwhile, sit third with five points, level with Argentina but ahead only on tries scored. Another loss would all but end their hopes of retaining the trophy.
Robertson has largely stuck with his winning formula, though he handed a debut to sevens star Leroy Carter on the left wing and shifted Will Jordan to the right, with Damian McKenzie taking over at fullback. Tyrel Lomax is promoted to the starting front row, while Ardie Savea again anchors the loose forwards.
Rassie Erasmus, in contrast, has rolled the dice with an almost entirely reshaped backline. Cobus Reinach and 23-year-old Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu form a new halfback pairing, Damian Willemse partners Canan Moodie in midfield, and Ethan Hooker earns a start on the wing. Aphelele Fassi returns at fullback. In the pack, Jasper Wiese’s reinstatement at No 8 allows Siya Kolisi to move back to the openside, with Pieter-Steph du Toit on the blindside and Lood de Jager starting at lock.
Kolisi, who wins his 96th cap, insisted the changes should not be seen as weakness. “There’s a good mixture of players in this team. Most of the guys have played here before, some of whom have won two World Cups, so it’s not as though it is a completely new team. I’m keen to see this side in action, and I think some of the new faces will bring a different skillset.”
The set-piece will again be critical after the All Blacks dominated key moments in Auckland. Marx struggled at lineout time last week, and Robertson’s men will test him through Scott Barrett and Tupou Vaa’i in the air. At scrum time, the Boks retain Ox Nche and Thomas du Toit but will be wary of Lomax’s influence.
South Africa also know they must be clinical with ball in hand. Assistant coach Mzwandile Stick warned: “Last week we had two soft moments early in the match, and we’ve learned from that. This week we must be at our best for the full 80 minutes. We also need to make sure that we are clinical in our execution and that we convert our chances into points.”
For New Zealand, McKenzie’s move to fullback offers dual playmaking options with Beauden Barrett, while Ardie Savea remains the heartbeat of the side. Robertson said the key will be maintaining standards: “The big thing for us is the acknowledgement of it. You’re up here and you’ve got to get back up there. The timing, the emotional connection to the game — that’s what matters. It’s a sold-out crowd, and we need to deliver again.”
The Boks have fond memories of Wellington, having beaten the All Blacks 36-34 in 2018 and drawn 16-16 in 2019. A win on Saturday would not only keep their Championship hopes alive but also ensure they retain the Freedom Cup.
For Kolisi, the magnitude is clear: “It’s going to be an intense match and will be important for us to keep calm and composed, which is almost the same as a World Cup final. Our preparation is the same as it would be for every Test. We have high standards, and we want to deliver a good performance that our country and supporters can be proud of.”
Kick-off is at 9:05am SA time (7:05pm local) at a sold-out Sky Stadium. With one side chasing momentum and the other fighting for survival, the stage is set for another classic chapter in rugby’s greatest rivalry.
Teams:
Springboks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Lood de Jager, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Andre Esterhuizen.
All Blacks: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Scott Barrett (c), 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Fabian Holland, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Quinn Tupaea, 23 Ruben Love.