Few rivalries in international rugby stir emotions like the All Blacks vs Springboks. It is a legacy built on crushing forwards, electrifying backs, pure physicality, and tight battles.
But the rivalry has been anything but tight for two years now.
The last four matches have been won by South Africa – including the 2023 World Cup final in Paris, and the 35-7 demolition job at Twickenham that same year. New Zealand's rich history in rugby isn't used to losing to one opponent so often.
Can they return to winning ways, when the two sides meet at Eden Park on 6 September? One legendary coach thinks so. Sir Steve Hansen told Martin Devlin on the DSPN, “they [South Africa] have been beaten, so that tells you they are beatable”.
“They roll the dice every time they go to their split bench. They’ve got people that can cover in the backs if they get multiple injuries, but they are rolling the dice and so far they’ve gotten away with it.”
Sir Steve has a point – while the Springboks look imperious to us Kiwi rugby fans, they did lose two tests in 2024 to Ireland and Argentina, sides that the All Blacks themselves overcame. As well as that, the two contests in the Republic weren’t blowout wins for the Boks – they were one-possession games New Zealand could most certainly have snatched.
Regardless, there’s a monkey on the All Blacks’ backs... and they need to shake it off.
"The basics of this South African game is they're going to beat you up, and they're going to come along and really dominate upfront, and allow their backs to get front football and play on top of yo," Hansen said.
“You have to shake that trust a bit and challenge their thinking and that space where they think they can dominate you physically."
The "basics" of the Springbok game and their distinctly unique style of play can also be applied to other side of the ledger. The All Blacks have their own blueprint, one that - on its day - is unmatched and can tear teams to shreds.
“We're not a big structured nation. I think we like to use our skill, use our initiative, and play what's in front of us," Hansen explained.
"[The current All Blacks roster] allows them to play a fast game because they're all good athletes. However, there's no right or wrong way to play, it comes down to who's allowed to play the way they want to play on the day, and the opposition have a big say in that.”
“We've got to play to our strengths. South Africa always play to their strengths, which is their big physicality and their big men."
Those top athletes mentioned help create the All Blacks up-tempo and exhilarating style of play that was evident in parts against France recently. New Zealand is yet to put together an 80-minute performance in 2025, but the team seems to be trending in the right direction with a balance of style-perfecting and depth-building.
Two away tests against Argentina - starting on 17 August (New Zealand time) - feel like the perfect build-up to facing the best team in the world a couple of weeks later.
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