Biggest All Blacks/Springboks test match since the last World Cup?
Matches between the All Blacks and the Springboks are always momentous, but this weekend’s match in Wellington is surely the biggest game they have played against one another since the 2015 World Cup semi-final.
Both sides will face each other for the last time this weekend before they meet in their opening match of the World Cup pool stages in September.
Head coaches Steve Hansen and Rassie Erasmus have had different approaches to this match though. Hansen has downplayed the importance of this fixture, while Erasmus has suggested that the side that wins will come away with a psychological edge. It looks as though there is a number of people on Twitter that agree with the former.
There is added importance to this fixture as well, as it sees a repeat of the Springboks’ victory in Wellington last year. Hansen has equally been coy in saying that this is not a revenge mission for the All Blacks, but it must be in the back of many players’ minds.
As well as their differing outlook to the match, the coaches have also had a different approach in terms of squad selection. Although it is impossible to ever have a weak All Blacks side, Hansen is trying new things out. He is playing Beauden Barrett at fullback for the first time since 2013, allowing Richie Mo’unga to start at fly-half. Equally, he has rested some key players such as Ardie Savea and Sam Cane, who are likely to be in the squad which face the Springboks at the World Cup, as well as dropping Aaron Smith to the bench.
On the other hand, Erasmus has named as strong a squad as he can, after resting the bulk of his squad last week against Australia. Many see this as South Africa’s ‘A’ team, although captain Siya Kolisi and winger Aphiwe Dyantyi are still to return. He sent the majority of this squad to New Zealand early to prepare for this match, as he has clearly made this fixture a priority to win.
But with a strong team comes the pressure to win, and that is why there is a solid portion of Springboks fans that think their team should emerge victorious. Meanwhile, despite being at home, New Zealand have the luxury of calling this an experimental team should they lose. Still, the sense is that both sets of fans see this game as pivotal ahead of the World Cup.
This is what has been said:
https://twitter.com/white_bati/status/1154342752634564608?s=20
https://twitter.com/Cornelius_Mybrg/status/1154360742713446405?s=20
https://twitter.com/rugbyallout/status/1154367743384309760?s=20
https://twitter.com/JacquesdeWet1/status/1154113752565989376?s=20
https://twitter.com/jacque0001/status/1153561765415985154?s=20
https://twitter.com/Sana_Govender/status/1153771457517953025?s=20
https://twitter.com/FLengoati/status/1154232527277699072?s=20
https://twitter.com/ddt_golf25/status/1154280334713872384?s=20
https://twitter.com/SLOGANGOV/status/1154333099951624192?s=20
Not only is this game crucial in terms of the pool stage in the World Cup, but this could very well be the final in a few month’s time, as both teams will go their separate ways after the pool stages. That only adds to the importance of this fixture.
While the All Blacks have reigned supreme in World Rugby over the past four years, the Springboks have had a tumultuous time. But there is no denying that they are a force to be reckoned with again, which is why this match is so eagerly anticipated.
Comments on RugbyPass
No question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
95 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
95 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
95 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
95 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
95 Go to commentsBen, nobody gets fooled anymore by selective and biased data to support an hypothesis. Games are decided on such small margins these days that you win some and lose some, and dominance is a thing of the rugby past. Look at the RWC circle of fortune…. Ireland beats SA who beat France who beat NZ who beat Ireland. And so it goes on. Match officials help to eliminate real indiscretions. If they had been with us years before, no doubt results would have been different. Remember Andy Haden’s dive from a lineout in 1978 for which a match-wining penalty was awarded? Wales should have beaten the ABs that day. They took the loss like the gentlemen they were.
95 Go to commentsWith all the analysis and how good the all blacks were.The fundamental mistake with the ABs is that this is a test match and not an exhibition.There is no better team(country) in world rugby than the Boks that knows how to win a test match(we are post masters at this).We know our rules, we have the discipline, we tackle like beasts, we take our points and we never give up.I now have educated the ABs supporters(at least say thank you).Please stop “bitching” , accept what the outcome is and move along swiftly.
95 Go to commentsAnd they came from behind to win two big games before the final. No one can say what would have happened. Had the boks gone behind the game plan changes and the result may changes. Ifs and ands are irrelevant. The boks won. Neutral critics enjoyed the games they played. Its not a popularity contest. Get over it and move on.
95 Go to commentsI'm happy for the people of SA to get a second WC. And I mean that. I was very disappointed with this man's “stand on the hand” incident with Josh Van Der Flyer (Ireland). Ireland's downfall in the last WC was they did not rotate their first 15 as the head coach probably should have. That said, I'm happy for SA and genuinely hope it lifts the mood in their country. Ireland did beat them in the first match of the tournament. And before the trolls start trolling ….. please don't bother. Etzbeth said recently that the Irish players said after the match “see you in the final”…..this was actually wishing the SA team the best of luck in the rest, the Irish team were not dismissing the AB’s. This is what Etzbeth was implying. But he was wrong. I no longer live in Ireland. But I hope to see them lift that cup before I pass. Anyway, congratulations SA. 👍
12 Go to commentsMore bloody click bait. Dan Carter has said absolutely nothing. As he should do. Poor journalism again from a site that should know better
9 Go to commentsOh god please help these loosers get over it!!!! You lost. Doesn't matter how many times you dummies are gonna analyse the game, you still lost and we are still Rygby World Champions….get over it, you lost.
95 Go to commentsThe next Willie le Roux. SA are made not to use him.
3 Go to commentsDan has always been as controversial as tea with milk so we were never going to get any definitive answer. So DMac for the win.
9 Go to commentsGoodness. When are the All Blacks and New Zealand commentators going to stop complaining about how they could have won and just try to win next time 😂. In South Africa if you lose you get up and try again. Get over it.
95 Go to commentsHonestly, it doesn’t matter a whole lot. RSA has a ton of experienced talent in its leadership group. I am more interested in who is the new 8 man/8 men and the younger props. The captain may change but the system does not
1 Go to commentsBen, you are one of the most arrogant and self opionated rugby critics I have ever come across (next to Keohane). I hoped that after SA beating the best ranked teams in the world on their way to the WC (something not done before) that you might have the grace to admit that this is a special team that deserved the accolades coming their way. You have no humility and as has been been already pointed out, merely a troll to attract audience numbers. Count me out in the future.
95 Go to comments‘War of independence’. Such a grand name for a few skirmishes. Where were all the great battles of this ‘war’ ? Smith got goosebumps as he was being emotionally manipulated, another mushroom.
1 Go to comments