Boks vs All Blacks — rugby’s greatest rivalry in the spotlight as Kiwis jet into SA

Followers of the greatest rivalry in rugby will tell you that every one of the 106 Tests staged between the Springboks and All Blacks over the past century has been significant in its own right.

When asked to reflect on their careers, former players often speak about their two debuts: their first Test for South Africa and then their first game against the All Blacks.

Some have gone so far as to say that you’re not a real Springbok until you’ve gone toe-to-toe with the old enemy.

This year, the two-match miniseries between the two superpowers will take on added importance.

Having won Rugby World Cup 2023, the Boks have set their sights on a third consecutive title in 2027. While they have prioritised development in the lead-up to the global tournament, they have also set their sights on specific matches against top opposition.

If the Boks beat the All Blacks in Johannesburg on 31 August and in Cape Town on 7 September, they will claim the Freedom Cup for the first time in 15 years.

Those results, as well as their recent bonus-point victories in Australia, will ensure that they consolidate their position at the top of the Rugby Championship standings and boost their chances of winning the southern hemisphere tournament.

Tide turning in South Africa’s favour

Most believed that the rivalry was dead when the Boks lost 57-0 in Albany seven years ago. South Africa were beset by problems on and off the field, and even after Rassie Erasmus took charge as head coach in early 2018, expectations were tempered.

Erasmus’s arrival heralded a new dawn for SA rugby, and a more competitive chapter in the Springbok-All Blacks rivalry. Since 2018, the Boks and All Blacks have won five Tests apiece, while there has been one draw.

The year 2023 was a watershed one. The Boks were beaten 35-20 in Auckland during the truncated Rugby Championship, but bounced back to win 35-7 in a World Cup warm-up match at Twickenham.

The latter result marked the All Blacks’ heaviest defeat in history. Many dismissed the outcome of a game that amounted to a friendly, yet it served as a sign of things to come at the global tournament in France.

The Boks edged the All Blacks 12-11 in a fiercely contested final and, for the first time since 2009, finished a Test season with two wins against their archrivals.

The tide appears to be turning, and the Boks may go on to secure two further victories and extend their winning run to four matches.

Battle-hardened by Ireland

Recent form suggests that the Boks are well placed to take charge of the rivalry.

The Boks beat France, England and New Zealand during the RWC 2023 playoffs. They earned that title, and the No 1 ranking, the hard way.

They’ve gone on to win five of their six Tests in 2024, and the policy of rotation and experimentation has done little to dilute their potency in specific matches. The second- and third-choice players scored 30 or more points in each of the Tests against Wales, Portugal and Australia (Perth).

Read more: Boks finally end seven-year rugby hoodoo against never-say-die Irish

More should be read into the two-match series against Ireland, however, when assessing the team’s readiness for a double-header with the All Blacks.

Erasmus picked the most experienced team in history – while making room

for explosive newcomers such as utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – and stuck with the same combination across both fixtures.

The Boks won 27-20 in Pretoria, with the final scoreline flattering the visitors. The following week in Durban, Ireland matched the Boks’ physicality and kept a much-vaunted attack tryless. Replacement flyhalf Ciarán Frawley nailed two late drop goals to secure a 25-24 win and level the series.

Going by the reactions in the aftermath, the Irish viewed the 1-1 result as a success, while the Boks considered it a disappointment.

They have something to prove after the recent stumble against Ireland, and serious questions may be asked if they go on to lose or draw the series with New Zealand.

All Blacks losing clout

Meanwhile, the All Blacks have been largely underwhelming against lower-ranked opponents.

They battled to cope with the physicality of England in the series staged in New Zealand this past July – although they still managed to secure two narrow wins.

The chickens came home to roost in the Rugby Championship opener, as they were outmuscled and outthought by a superior Argentina side, and ended up conceding a record number of points on home soil in a 38-30 defeat.

In the aftermath, the local media lamented the decline of the All Blacks and Wallabies, and cited the weak Super Rugby Pacific competition as a contributing factor.

South Africa’s decision to leave Super Rugby and join the northern hemisphere fraternity in 2021 has boosted the respective franchises as well as the Boks. The top local players have faced the best in Europe on a regular basis and have been forced to compete at a level that is closer to that of Test rugby.

Meanwhile, the absence of the more physical and pragmatic South African teams has led to a drop in standards in Australasia. Former players and coaches have highlighted the gulf between Super Rugby Pacific and Test rugby, and ultimately the step-up in intensity and physicality.

The All Blacks bounced back to beat Argentina 42-10 in Auckland – a result that was expected given the Pumas’ record of fading in the wake of a big win.

Read more: Shock as All Blacks assistant coach MacDonald quits team on eve of tough Springbok assignment

And yet, many continue to voice their concerns about the All Blacks’ lacklustre approach – and particularly the absence of a hard-hitting blindside flank in the mould of Jerome Kaino, as well as the inconsistency of halfback pairing TJ Perenara and Damian McKenzie.

These are nervous times for New Zealand, and there are fears that new coach Scott Robertson will return from South Africa with two losses – and ultimately a Rugby Championship record that reads one win from four matches.

Complacency the biggest threat

Few in New Zealand are expecting the All Blacks to prevail in Johannesburg and Cape Town – and for the Boks, that is cause for caution.

They’ve underestimated the All Blacks before, and have paid a dear price.

Nobody in the current group will have forgotten about the 2022 Freedom Cup series, which began with a 26-10 victory in Mbombela and finished with a 35-23 defeat at Ellis Park.

That latter result altered the course of the 2022 season, as the Boks fell short of winning the Rugby Championship by the narrowest of margins.

Erasmus has got a lot right in the early stages of the 2024 season, from his commitment to development to his move towards a more progressive style of play.

While the Boks have already won back-to-back World Cup titles and a Lions series, they are desperate to push on and add to their legacy.

Two wins against the All Blacks would set them up to win the Rugby Championship, and provide the coach with more leeway to experiment in the subsequent months.

If the Boks sustain one or even two losses, then the pressure to secure results will build and Erasmus’s more elaborate and ambitious plans may have to be shelved. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.