All Blacks v Springboks preview: Fiercest rivals collide at Twickenham

Jared Wright
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All Blacks captain Sam Cane and Springboks skipper Siya Kolisi.

All Blacks captain Sam Cane and Springboks skipper Siya Kolisi.

The 104th edition of the All Blacks and Springboks’ rivalry heads to the home of English Rugby as New Zealand and South Africa collide at Twickenham.

It is just the second time in history that the iconic stadium will play host to rugby’s greatest rivalry, and while this is dubbed a warm-up match for the World Cup, no quarter will be given when the two sets of players cross the white lines on Friday evening.

It’s been eight years since the All Blacks sealed a 20-18 win over the Boks in London to reach the World Cup final, and while we can’t expect the same level of ruthless fight this time, it will certainly not be a sparring match.

The All Blacks have won the last two encounters between the two sides, with their most recent success in Auckland largely due to their rapid start, which saw them run in two tries in the first 20 minutes, paving the way for a 35-20 victory.

Where the game will be won

If Friday’s game is anything like that fixture in Auckland in July, the breakdown battle will be crucial for deciding this one.

The All Blacks dominated the gain line, allowing them to clear out the breakdown with supreme efficiency and effectiveness, and it was only once the Springboks gained parity in those two areas that they threatened a comeback and compete with their rivals.

Number eight Ardie Savea highlighted the Boks’ threat ahead of the clash, saying, “They’re big men, and they’re physical. They’ll be looking at that last Test and that first 20 and will want to come out firing and nullify us. The way we started against Aussie [in Dunedin], if we give that to South Africa, it will be a long day at the office.”

The return of Siya Kolisi will certainly aid South Africa’s quest to nullify the All Blacks’ excellent ruck speed, but if he and his fellow forwards are unsuccessful, then it will be the Boks who will have another long day at the office.

When they last met

What they said

Neither head coach is shying away from the intensity of the rivalry and it shows in the respective sides selected.

Before heading off to London for the clash, All Blacks boss Ian Foster said that he would not be shielding any of his key players and that shows in his matchday 23.

“I won’t be protecting anyone,” he said. “There will be no sentiment about trying to put people in cotton wool. You don’t win World Cups by putting people in cotton wool.”

After naming his team for the match, he added: “This is our final game before the Rugby World Cup, and this Test is critical in our preparation. “With just two weeks to go, it’s an important opportunity to get us battle-ready for the start of the tournament. These games are always intense and physically challenging, and I’m sure this one will be no different.”

Meanwhile, Eben Etzebeth was resolute in his statement that “this is not a warm-up match for us; it is a Test match.”

His team-mate Andre Esterhuizen echoed his sentiments.

“We won’t hold back anything,” the burly centre said.

“Every match is important for us, so we’ll give everything we can on the field and do our best.

“There’s a good chance we’ll meet them in the World Cup quarter-final, so this is a good opportunity for us.”

Players to watch

Starting in the All Blacks pack and Friday’s game provides a massive opportunity for Luke Jacobson to press his claim for a starting berth with Shannon Frizell on the sidelines. The hard-working back-row was cruelly denied a World Cup debut four years ago and gets another shot at it this time around, and if he makes the most of his chance on Friday, who knows, he could even be a regular in the starting XV when the team arrives in France.

Meanwhile, Scott Barrett will be eager to get stuck into the Springboks’ pack once again after a stupendous Rugby Championship campaign. The middle of the three Barrett brothers, Scott has arguably been in career-best form this year after being rested for the final Bledisloe Cup clash.

Lastly, any time Will Jordan features in an All Blacks starting XV, it is a treat. The sensationally talented outside back was a thorn in the Springboks’ side last time they faced off, setting up a try for Aaron Smith before scoring one himself later in the game.

After a torrid run of injuries and then a dip in form, some wondered whether Pieter-Steph du Toit would get back to the highs of 2019 when he was crowned World Rugby Player of the Year. Well, we now have the answer, yes. The brilliant back-row has yet to have a poor Test this year and will look to kick it up a few notches with the World Cup on the horizon.

Du Toit’s loose forward partner Siya Kolisi earns his second start after his miraculous injury recovery. He produced a statement 40-minute performance against Wales last week, and we expect him to bring his best against the All Blacks, even if it is not for the full 80 minutes. Fully fit and firing, Kolisi is one of the best in the game, and Friday’s game is another step for him to reach that level again.

The pressure will be on Manie Libbok again this weekend as he takes charge of the number 10 jersey. Fans are still hungover on Handre Pollard’s injury, and while Libbok has been excellent in open play, it is his goal-kicking that has concerned the public.

Main head-to-head

While there is undoubtedly and understandably a massive focus on the two forward packs and their six replacements on the bench, the main head-to-head has to be in the centres between Rieko Ioane and Canan Moodie.

Two schoolboy centre prodigies who started their professional careers on the wing face off in the outside centre channel.

Granted, Ioane played much more Test rugby than Moodie before making the shift, but one can draw plenty of parallels from the pair of speedsters. The All Black has seemingly settled in the midfield berth now and will look to put pressure on the young Springbok in his first start in the role.

Like Ioane, Moodie is highly rated by the coaching staff and has been given the full support of the coaches to make the most of his shot in the centres.

However, it could all go wrong for the rookie as the Springboks rely heavily on their number 13 defensively. With Ioane capable of ripping through even the tightest defences, Moodie must be on top of his game to keep the All Black quiet.

Prediction

This is always a challenging game to call. Even when both sides were enduring their worst slumps, they have, more often than not, risen to the occasion and delivered a spectacle that the rivalry deserves. Both sides have named experienced packs, but the All Blacks have a more settled backline, which should see them over the line – All Blacks to win by 5.

Previous results

2023: New Zealand won 35-20 in Auckland
2022: New Zealand won 35-23 in Johannesburg
2022: South Africa won 26-10 in Mbombela
2021: South Africa won 31-29 on the Gold Coast
2021: New Zealand won 19-17 in Townsville
2019: New Zealand won 23-13 in Yokohama
2019: New Zealand and South Africa drew 16-16 in Wellington
2018: New Zealand won 32-30 in Pretoria
2018: South Africa won 36-34 in Wellington
2017: New Zealand won 25-24 in Cape Town

The teams

New Zealand: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Mark Telea, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane (c), 6 Luke Jacobson, 5 Scott Barrett, 4 Sam Whitelock, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Tupou Vaa’i, 21 Dalton Papali’i, 22 Cam Roigard, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown

South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Willie le Roux

Date: Friday, August 25
Venue: Twickenham, London
Kick-off: 19:30 BST (18:30 GMT)
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant Referees: Christophe Ridley (England), Craig Evans (Wales)
TMO: Tom Foley (England)

READ MORE: All Blacks v Springboks: Talking points from the STACKED matchday 23s

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