The Springboks can take a giant leap toward securing their first Rugby Championship title since 2019 when they face the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday. Here’s everything you need to know.
Boks back home as New Zealand come calling
The Springboks will need to guard against complacency when they lock horns with the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday. The ground isn’t exactly the fortress it’s made out to be, with New Zealand having beaten the Boks in their last two encounters.
Of course, complacency is not something Rassie Erasmus and his coaching team will allow to creep in. Erasmus’ charges come into this tie in a commanding position atop the Rugby Championship standings, having pillaged 10 points from their trip to Australia.
New Zealand recovered from that shock Wellington defeat against Argentina, bouncing back at Eden Park with a commanding 42-10 win against the South Americans.
It’s all set up really nicely for Saturday. There are key battles all across the park, but all eyes will be on the battle between the 10s. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu starts for the Springboks against Damian McKenzie.
The Stormers’ starlet was outstanding in the first Test against Australia but battled a bit in horrendous conditions in the second. Handre Pollard – who many thought would start this Test – is on the bench. The other big surprise in the Springbok ranks was news that Aphelele Fassi starts 15 ahead of Willie le Roux.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks man was magnificent against Australia in the second Test, and will form part of a deadly back three alongside Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe.
Expect a colossal battle come set-piece time. There probably aren’t too many front-row battles more tantalising than Tamati Williams v Frans Malherbe and Ox Nche v Tyrel Lomax. The lineouts will also be fascinating, with the South Africans’ well-documented injury crisis at lock not helping their cause.
🗣️Rassie Erasmus on the selection of Aphelele Fassi ahead of Willie Le Roux at fullback:
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) August 27, 2024
“We also have a settled backline, and Aphelele Fassi made a strong statement against the Wallabies in Perth, so we are excited to see what they have to offer against a heavily… pic.twitter.com/brq44To1JB
How to watch?
Being a home game we can look forward to a traditional 17:00 kick-off on Saturday 31 August. Catch the build-up starting at 16:50 on SuperSport Grandstand (channel 201 on DStv) with the live crossing at 16:50.
You can also catch Argentina v Australia on the same channel later that evening at 23:50.
Betting odds
The Springboks are expected to win as you’d expect. Here at Hollywoodbets, we make the men in Green and Gold 7.5-point favourites. See the match betting and handicap spread below:
To Win Match
South Africa 7/20 | Draw 20/1 | New Zealand 24/10
Handicap
South Africa (-7.5) 9/10 | New Zealand (+7.5) 9/10
Ellis Park
The All Blacks are no strangers to upsetting the applecart at the spiritual home of South African rugby. After suffering a 26-10 defeat in Mbombela in 2022, the New Zealanders stormed back a week later in Joburg to record a 35-23 win despite being heavy underdogs that day.
Casting an eye toward the most recent result at the ground, a pretty much full-strength Springbok side edged past Argentina 22-21, despite leading 22-9 in the 75th minute.
Since readmission, the head-to-head results at Ellis Park between the sides sit at five wins apiece, with the All Blacks winning the last two encounters in Jo’burg.
Handrè Pollard was the Springboks starboy at Emirates Airline Park ten years ago 🤩
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 28, 2024
Two tries in his first Test against the All Blacks on SA soil 🏉🏉@CheckersSA | #TRC2024 pic.twitter.com/scKWaLKXDJ
Last meeting & head-to-heads
The last meeting between the sides came in the brutally attritional World Cup final in Saint-Denis in 2023. That 12-11 win put the Springboks out in front in terms of World Cups won with four – one ahead of New Zealand. The Boks actually hold a 3-2 lead in the last five Test matches played between the sides.
- 6 August 2022: SA won 26-10 in Mbombela.
- 13 August 2022: NZ won 23-35 in Jo’burg.
- 15 July 2023: NZ won 35-20 in Auckland.
- 25 August 2023: SA won 7-35 in London.
- 28 October 2023: SA won 11-12 in Saint-Denis.
Pure ecstasy, pure agony#RWC2023 | #RWCFinal pic.twitter.com/r9jIUdFDOF
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 28, 2023
Teams
South Africa
15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bong Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenkamp, 18 Vincent Kock, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Handre Pollard
New Zealand
15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Scott Barrett (c), 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tamaiti Williams
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Sam Darry, 20 Samipeni Finau, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Mark Tele’a
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