Springboks v All Blacks
Kick-off: 3am, Sunday 8 September NZT
DHL Stadium, Cape Town
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It's crunch time for the All Blacks this weekend, against a world champion Springbok side in a city famed for the local support of the men in black. Scott Robertson's side lost 31-27 in the cauldron of Ellis Park last weekend, however showed enough to give some serious signs that a return victory is on the cards.
Robertson and his counterpart Rassie Erasmus have rolled the changes this week, but for different reasons. The All Blacks are searching for a win while the Boks are simply trying to build two entire squads for the next four seasons. The news of a full All Blacks tour in two years time means that every test match between these two sides has an added dimension to an already storied history - this is rugby's greatest rivalry and this test will only add to that legacy.
Scott Robertson, Rassie Erasmus Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Here's a look at the teams:
Springboks: 1 Ox Nche 2 Bongi Mbonambi 3 Frans Malherbe 4 Eben Etzebeth 5 Ruan Nortje 6 Siya Kolisi (c) 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit 8 Jasper Wiese 9 Grant Williams 10 Handre Pollard 11 Cheslin Kolbe 12 Damian de Allende 13 Jesse Kriel 14 Canan Moodie, 15 Willie le Roux
Bench: 16 Malcolm Marx 17 Gerhard Steenekamp 18 Vincent Koch 19 Kwagga Smith 20 Elrigh Louw 21 Jaden Hendrikse 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu 23 Lukhanyo Am
All Blacks: 1. Tamaiti Williams 2. Codie Taylor 3. Tyrel Lomax 4. Scott Barrett (c) 5. Tupou Vaa'i 6. Wallace Sititi 7. Sam Cane 8. Ardie Savea 9. Cortez Ratima 10. Damian McKenzie 11. Mark Tele'a 12. Jordie Barrett 13. Rieko Ioane 14. Sevu Reece 15. Will Jordan
Bench: 16. Asafo Aumua 17. Ofa Tu'ungafasi 18. Fletcher Newell 19. Sam Darry 20. Luke Jacobson 21. TJ Perenara 22. Anton Lienert-Brown 23. Beauden Barrett
All Black selections
The big one is 21-year-old Wallace Sititi at blindside, despite the Chiefs man playing number eight for the entire Super Rugby Pacific season. It's a huge start for Cortex Ratima at halfback, because TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett have been shifted to the bench, so a lot is on the combination of him and Damian McKenzie.
There's a new back three for the All Blacks due to Caleb Clarke's injury, with Will Jordan shifting to fullback, and Mark Tele'a and Sevu Reece on the wings.
Photo: AFP / Phill Magakoe
Springbok selections
Erasmus has swapped out his first fives in a surprise move, with Handre Pollared getting the nod ahead of Sacha Feinburg-Mngomezulu. The halfbacks have changed too, with Grant Williams starting and Jaden Hendrikse on the bench. Eben Etzebeth comes into the starting lineup as well as Willie le Roux, while the bomb squad is primed and ready for action in the second half.
Eben Etzebeth of South Africa celebrates. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
What they're saying
"Obviously, last week we gave their opportunities with 10 minutes to go and it was a little bit of discipline, and just gave them too many opportunities inside our 22. It was fine margins the whole game and that's test footy. We looked at all our efforts and focused on areas we can be better and one of them was obviously finishing matches." - All Blacks coach Scott Robertson.
"Cape Town is a lekka place. I know it's like that for the overseas teams too. I've played at Newlands a couple of times and those guys right next to the field, they love to chirp you. I used to be chirped about my calves, but now it will probably be about my belly. There are characters here and the Cape represents so many different people who support the Boks and even the All Blacks. It's a vibey thing." - Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus.
What happened last week
Springboks 31 - 27 All Blacks
This game was heading for a decent All Black victory, before one yellow card went and messed it all up. From then on, the Boks held onto the ball for the last 20 minutes, scoring two very similar tries and taking the lead. Positives for the All Blacks were the scrum and lineout, although the back end of the game was a real concern. The bench offered nothing and will need to fire in this second test.
What's going to happen
Hopefully what happened last weekend, intensity-wise. This time, at sea level, the All Blacks should have enough in the tank to close out the back end, especially with the likes of Beauden and Perenara on the bench.
However, this is a Bok side that's running hot, the only issue for them is whether this raft of changes is the right call. Erasmus has been very clear in his vision for two whole Springbok teams, so it'll be interesting to see how this side fares.