The Springboks can take one step closer to winning The Rugby Championship at Ellis Park tomorrow, if they beat fierce rivals the All Blacks.
On 10 log points after two rounds, another full house at 5pm would give the log-leading Springboks 15 points after three rounds played and leave the New Zealanders with a helse uphill battle to try and catch them.
But it won’t be easy, with South Africa also out to snap a two-game losing streak against the All Blacks in Johannesburg, having lost the last two matches there 35-23 in 2022 and 27-20 in 2015.
Out to break a 10-year Ellis Park droogte, Bok coach Rassie Erasmus, whose team beat New Zealand 12-11 in the World Cup final last year, says they must be oppit.
He explains: “The moment you switch off [Damian] McKenzie might do something [special]. And they have a forward pack that we found tough to move around in the World Cup final.”
Of playing at Ellis Park and possibly losing their southern hemisphere crown to the world champs, All Blacks coach Scott Robertson says: “It’s an iconic field, the ground, the whole experience…”
Springboks:
The #Springboks team to face New Zealand in Johannesburg feature a new locking combination amongst a host of changes - more here: https://t.co/kllUmxNl5Q 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/ZONwaG7Jo4
15 Aphelele Fassie, 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 (capt.), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacement: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Handre Pollard.
All Blacks:
Your team to face the Springboks 😤#AllBlacks pic.twitter.com/pCop5U2Nzo
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) August 29, 2024
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 Tupo Vaa’i, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 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 Leinert-Brown, 23 Mark Tele’a.