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International

'We should never forget': Former Bok great's warning on looming All Blacks series

By Ben Smith

1 day ago

RG Snyman of South Africa celebrates after scoring a try during The Rugby Championship match between New Zealand All Blacks and South Africa Springboks at Sky Stadium on September 13, 2025 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Former Springboks fullback Percy Montgomery has warned South Africa about getting too complacent ahead of the historic Greatest Rivalry tour in 2026.

The All Blacks head to South Africa for a return to old school style tours, with warm-up games against South Africa’s URC franchises before three Tests against the Springboks. A fourth Test in a neutral location will follow the tour.

Montgomery said the All Blacks still have an ‘aura’ about them that the Boks should ‘never forget’. Montgomery said the world’s number two side, who split the two-game series 1-1 this year with the Boks, was ‘struggling a bit’ now. He pointed to the Springboks before the 2019 Rugby World Cup as a reason to not count them out.

Ruan Nortje ‘We always back players’ decisions’

“I’m getting goosebumps when you say that rivalry,” Montgomery told Behind the Ruck podcast.

“There’s an aura about the All Blacks, and it’s something we should never forget. I know they’re struggling a bit now, but so did the Springboks before they won the World Cup with Rassie.

“We got klapped in New Zealand, and we turned it around in a matter of months to go on to win a World Cup. So, anything can happen in rugby, and we all know, we’ve all been there. Complacency is a dangerous word.”

Montgomery said that South Africa had ‘overtaken’ New Zealand now with Rassie’s genius after such a golden period for the All Blacks through the 2000s and 2010s.

“It’s going to be tough and a great series to watch. This is why we play the game: you want to become a Springbok, and you want to play against the All Blacks, number one and number two (in the world),” he said.

“I was fortunate enough to play in those against Jeff Wilson, Josh Kronfeld, Jonah Lomu, and Jerry Collins. I was very fortunate enough to be involved, but the All Blacks were very strong in those days when Sean Fitzpatrick retired, and then Richie McCaw and Dan Carter came in.

“They had a good team, we klapped (slapped) them a few times, but they had a good era, and that’s where I think we’ve now overtaken them with Rassie’s genius and his coaching staff, but it’s going to be an incredible series

Comments

18 Comments

Hammer Head 8 hours ago

Couldn’t Ben just give us a link to the podcast and save writing 100 words introducing 200 words of direct quotations.

Who’s running this jol?

CG 15 hours ago

This will be a horrible tour with legions of injuries and a thrashing for the abs

Only watch if you are a saffer

Do a Frenchy and send in the c team

GrahamVF 18 hours ago

What I like about it is that it is going to give the South African youngsters a chance to “get to know” the AB stars. I had a picture of Chris Laidlaw on my wall as a youngster and many young South Africans had All Black heroes and I remember the poignant singing of Now is the Hour by hundreds of South Africans when the team boarded the ship to sail back to New Zealand. That was where the true rivalry and friendships were formed. The only four test tours to SA were NZ and the British and Irish Lions (Australia usually played three tests all the other countries mostly only two.

Wayneo 20 hours ago

We will have to wait and see what tactical changes the kiwis make in SR this season. I doubt there will be many and they will probably stick to the high tempo ruck & run stuff and avoid kicking & set pieces at all costs.

I think a lot of kiwis expect the tests to be intense but majority are unaware or don’t know what to expect from the midweek games or how hot its going to be for the cat on the hot tin roof come August.

2026 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour schedule-

Friday, August 7 Stormers v New Zealand, Cape Town

Tuesday, August 11 Sharks v New Zealand, Durban

Saturday, August 15 Bulls v New Zealand, Pretoria

Saturday, August 22 South Africa v New Zealand, Johannesburg - First Test

Tuesday, August 25 Lions v New Zealand, Johannesburg

Saturday, August 29 South Africa v New Zealand, Cape Town - Second Test

Saturday, September 5 South Africa v New Zealand, Johannesburg - Third Test

Saturday, September 12 South Africa v New Zealand - Fourth Test

I’m expecting the All Blacks to pitch up with 50 players to account for 8 games to be played at test match level, but I won’t be surprised if they bring less than 40 to try and build a close unit and then call players in as injury cover as and when needed.

I just hope Ben makes the trip out to SA so that the guys can teach him how to eat a boerewors roll and make a brandy and cola the right way (warning Ben, they are going to make you chug that stuff by the bucket just like a Blue Bulls supporter).

SC 6 hours ago

2nd Team ABs (23) Friday, August 7 Stormers v New Zealand, Cape Town

1st Team ABs (23) Tuesday, August 11 Sharks v New Zealand, Durban

2nd Team ABs (23) Saturday, August 15 Bulls v New Zealand, Pretoria

1st Team ABs (23) Saturday, August 22 South Africa v New Zealand, Johannesburg - First Test

2nd Team ABs (23) Tuesday, August 25 Lions v New Zealand, Johannesburg

1st Team ABs (23) Saturday, August 29 South Africa v New Zealand, Cape Town - Second Test

2nd Team ABs (23) Saturday, September 5 South Africa v New Zealand, Johannesburg - Third Test

1st Team ABs (23) Saturday, September 12 South Africa v New Zealand - Fourth Test

Target the first 2 tests and the neutral site test as most winnable.

Hammer Head 8 hours ago

I think you’re being optimistic about what SA fans would do with Ben if he paid us a visit.

Eric Elwood 12 hours ago

I think first team verus Stormers then a sprinkling against Sharks and maybe a strong team play a half against Bulls (second half perhaps).

Lions will be the B team as they are not as powerful etc.

It must be remembered that the only game between them that wasn’t tight was the Wellington match. I expect the same here with all matches tight.

TokoRFC 15 hours ago

It’s going to be epic Wayneo, can’t wait either, this tour is really going to test the depth of NZ rugby!

But at the same time exposure to South African physicality and set piece prowess is just what a large group of our players need to bridge the current gap between Super and International rugby.

The issue for Razor is the flak they’ll get if they loose to a club side as well as the inevitable attrition towards the end of the tour.

They can’t risk a loss early, neither can they play the top players midweek, so they will need a relatively big squad. The issue is we haven’t managed to rotate and keep momentum like Rassie does. I feel Razor hasn’t created enough continuity in the backline but at the same time there hasn’t been enough rotation in the forwards on tours, leading to fatigue, they need to get that balance right.

The July tests should have the core side relatively well prepared. I expect Razor will still need to play his top side on the first two weekends though, the Stormers are looking good and could be the banana peel match. Then if I remember anything about the Bulls pack they will leave our top forwards battered and Blou (pun intended).

Then a very rotated 23 will have to play midweek against the Sharks and Lions, if this side don’t play coherently they could loose momentum before the tests even get going. A few key injuries at the start of the tour could leave the top side looking rough around the edges and the wheels could fall off, see the England test…

Ideally for NZ we’ll see more gameplan coherency, young players emerge to stake their claim during the midweeks and possibly take the reins if form or injuries demand changes.

However it goes, you have to feel this tour will define the All Blacks world cup cycle…

We’ll just have to see!

GM 20 hours ago

I’d like to think it’ll be a highly competeitive series, but unless this NZR review gasps the coaching nettle, the series against the Boks will be a disaster. I’d like to see Razor hold on, but only if he accepts that Hansen and Ellison have to go. Essential for Razor to accept a new team , maybe a Ronan O’G on defence and, say, Nick Evans on attack.

TokoRFC 16 hours ago

Nick Evans would be a boon wouldn’t he. Interesting to see what they do

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