Rugby's Greatest Rivalry · Second Test
Springboks v All Blacks
Kick-off 17:10 SAST111Played
43SA wins
64NZ wins
4Drawn
37.7%SA win rate
Boks have won five of the last seven meetings since August 2023. Last time these teams met in Cape Town — Rugby Championship 2024, South Africa 18–12.
Formation — tap a number
Set-piece shape · scrum to backline
Ellis Park stung: the All Blacks won 33–16, five tries to one, after the Boks led 13–12 at the break. Errors, turned-down kicks at goal and two late yellow cards did the damage. Kolisi is cleared and back as captain, Kolbe is passed fit, and a Friday-morning niggle to Pollard hands Feinberg-Mngomezulu the 10 jersey.
Back ThreeKolbe passed fit — Arendse out of the 23
15DWDamian Willemse
Fullback
DHL Stormers
53 caps. The Boks' second playmaker — counter-attack, high-ball security and a left-foot kicking option.
≈1.86 m · 94 kg
53 caps · 76 pts · 8 tries
14CKCheslin Kolbe 2× RWC winner
Right Wing
DHL Stormers
Passed fit after the knock that took him off at Ellis Park, and comes straight back into the 23 in place of Arendse — the game's most dangerous small man.
≈1.71 m · 77 kg
51 caps · 142 pts · 22 tries
11EHEthan Hooker
Left Wing
Hollywoodbets Sharks
Keeps the left wing with Kolbe back on the right — the bigger, more physical option out wide.
10 caps · 10 pts · 2 tries
MidfieldMost-capped Bok centre pairing ever
13JKJesse Kriel 2× RWC winner
Outside Centre
Canon Eagles
91 caps. Defensive organiser of the backline, continuing his long-running partnership with De Allende.
≈1.86 m · 95 kg
91 caps · 115 pts · 23 tries
12DADamian de Allende Centurion
Inside Centre
Wild Knights
Brought up his 100 caps at Ellis Park — only the 10th Springbok to get there, with two World Cups in the bag.
≈1.89 m · 101 kg
100 caps · 55 pts · 11 tries
HalfbacksPollard out injured — Feinberg-Mngomezulu promoted
10SFSacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Flyhalf
DHL Stormers
Handed the 10 jersey on Friday morning after Pollard was withdrawn with a training niggle — he started against Argentina and again at Ellis Park.
21 caps · 177 pts · 9 tries
9CRCobus Reinach
Scrumhalf
DHL Stormers
Promoted from the bench in place of Grant Williams — vast Test experience to control the tempo at sea level.
54 caps · 100 pts · 20 tries
Loose TrioKolisi cleared — captaincy returns to him
8JWJasper Wiese
Number 8
Urayasu D-Rocks
A handful every carry at Ellis Park — keeps the 8 jersey as the gain-line battering ram.
≈1.85 m · 110 kg
46 caps · 20 pts · 4 tries
7PDPieter-Steph du Toit 100th Test
Flanker
Toyota Verblitz
Runs out for his 100th Test, the 11th Bok to get there — handed the captaincy back to Kolisi so he can just play. Twice World Rugby Player of the Year (2019, 2024).
≈2.00 m · 117 kg
99 caps · 70 pts · 14 tries
6SKSiya Kolisi Captain
Flanker
DHL Stormers
104 caps. Cleared on Tuesday after a grade-two hamstring tear against Argentina — he starts and takes the captaincy back, and Paul de Villiers drops out of the 23.
104 caps · 70 pts · 14 tries
Second RowEnforcer + lineout general
5RNRuan Nortjé
Lock
Kubota Spears
Lineout linchpin — runs the set-piece calls and steals opposition ball.
≈1.98 m · 106 kg
21 caps · 5 pts · 1 try
4EEEben Etzebeth Most-capped Bok
Lock
Hollywoodbets Sharks
South Africa's most-capped player of all time and the pack's enforcer — backed up 80 minutes in Buenos Aires.
≈2.03 m · 117 kg
143 caps · 45 pts · 9 tries
Front RowUnchanged — the one unit that dominated last week
3WLWilco Louw
Tighthead Prop
DHL Stormers
The surprise pick — pure scrummaging weight to target the All Blacks set piece.
≈1.83 m · 132 kg
32 caps · 10 pts · 2 tries
2MMMalcolm Marx 2025 Player of the Year
Hooker
Kubota Spears
Reigning World Rugby Player of the Year — breakdown menace and maul finisher.
≈1.88 m · 115 kg
90 caps · 135 pts · 27 tries
1ONOx Nché 50th Test
Loosehead Prop
Hollywoodbets Sharks
Brings up 50 caps in Cape Town — the world's premier scrummaging loosehead, after the Boks shunted NZ backwards at Ellis Park.
≈1.79 m · 116 kg
49 caps · 0 pts
Bomb Squad
6–2 SPLIT
16DFDeon Fourie
Hooker / Flank
DHL Stormers
The evergreen utility comes in for Wessels — hooker and breakdown pest in one.
13 caps · 10 pts · 2 tries
17GSGerhard Steenekamp
Loosehead Prop
Vodacom Bulls
Fresh scrummaging legs for the final quarter.
20 caps · 10 pts · 2 tries
18TDThomas du Toit
Tighthead Prop
Hollywoodbets Sharks
Experience over youth — replaces Porthen to double down on the scrum advantage.
34 caps · 10 pts · 2 tries
19LJLood de Jager
Lock
Wild Knights
World Cup-winning second-rower in for Cobus Wiese — extra lineout steel.
74 caps · 25 pts · 5 tries
20AEAndré Esterhuizen
Flank / Centre
Hollywoodbets Sharks
Scored the Boks' only try last week after coming on early — the hybrid keeps his bench spot.
32 caps · 30 pts · 6 tries
21CHCameron Hanekom
Loose Forward
Vodacom Bulls
Dynamic young No 8 in for Van Staden, who was sin-binned late at Ellis Park.
3 caps · 5 pts · 1 try
22MVMorné van den Berg
Scrumhalf
10bet Lions
Takes the bench 9 role with Reinach promoted to start.
7 caps · 25 pts · 5 tries
23MLManie Libbok RWC winner
Flyhalf
Kintetsu Liners
Recalled to cover flyhalf once Pollard dropped out — the running 10 to change the picture late if the Boks need it.
≈1.80 m · 78 kg
31 caps · 147 pts · 2 tries
Formation — tap a number
Set-piece shape · scrum to backline
Winners 33–16 at Ellis Park, five tries to one. Two changes are enforced: De Groot and Lord are both in mandatory 12-day concussion stand-downs after their 37th-minute head clash. Rennie also reshuffles the pack to fix the scrum that creaked before the last-quarter revival.
Back ThreeCarter promoted after his Ellis Park cameo
15DMDamian McKenzie
Fullback
Chiefs
Kept the scoreboard ticking at Ellis Park — counter-attacking spark and goal-kicker.
≈1.75 m · 81 kg
78 caps · 385 pts · 23 tries
14WJWill Jordan 2 tries last week
Right Wing
Crusaders
A double at Ellis Park — one of the best try-per-Test strike rates in All Blacks history.
≈1.88 m · 94 kg
58 caps · 265 pts · 53 tries
11LCLeroy Carter
Left Wing
Chiefs
The ex-sevens flyer earns a start after his impact off the bench — Moorby, a try-scorer last week, drops to 23.
8 caps · 15 pts · 3 tries
MidfieldTupaea preferred to Rieko Ioane
13QTQuinn Tupaea
Outside Centre
Chiefs
Gets the 13 jersey ahead of Rieko Ioane — direct carrier who continues his combination with Barrett.
27 caps · 25 pts · 5 tries
12JBJordie Barrett
Inside Centre
Hurricanes
Physical second playmaker with a huge boot — key to matching De Allende's power channel.
≈1.96 m · 104 kg
82 caps · 306 pts · 26 tries
HalfbacksUnchanged after a clinical Ellis Park showing
10RLRuben Love
Flyhalf
Hurricanes
The bold call — starts at 10 with Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo'unga both left out of the matchday 23.
9 caps · 54 pts · 3 tries
9CRCam Roigard
Scrumhalf
Hurricanes
Back from injury for his first tour appearance — running threat and a monster box kick. Only his second Test against the Boks.
21 caps · 75 pts · 15 tries
Loose TrioParker starts with Vaa'i shifting to lock
8ASArdie Savea Captain
Number 8
Moana Pasifika
Brought up 110 caps in the Ellis Park win — the 2023 World Player of the Year leads again from the back of the scrum.
≈1.88 m · 98 kg
110 caps · 160 pts · 32 tries
7LJLuke Jacobson
Flanker
Chiefs
Scored New Zealand's fourth try last week — workhorse over the ball at the breakdown.
28 caps · 30 pts · 6 tries
6SPSimon Parker
Blindside Flanker
Chiefs
Came on in the 37th minute for the concussed Lord and stays in — Rennie rates his maul defence, ruck cleaning and lineout height against the Bok forwards.
9 caps · 0 pts
Second RowReshuffled with Lord in concussion stand-down
5TVTupou Vaa'i
Lock
Chiefs
Shifts from 6 into his preferred locking role — part of the fix for a scrum that struggled early at Ellis Park.
≈1.98 m · 112 kg
48 caps · 30 pts · 6 tries
4FHFabian Holland Try last week
Lock
Highlanders
The Dutch-born giant charged down Grant Williams' kick for the try that broke the first Test open.
≈2.04 m
13 caps · 5 pts · 1 try
Front RowBower promoted after steadying the scrum
3TLTyrel Lomax
Tighthead Prop
Hurricanes
Battled against Nché early at Ellis Park before the scrum found parity — under pressure to anchor it from the start this time.
≈1.88 m · 120 kg
52 caps · 0 pts
2CTCodie Taylor
Hooker
Crusaders
Brought up 110 caps alongside his captain last week — the vastly experienced set-piece anchor at 35.
110 caps · 115 pts · 23 tries
1GBGeorge Bower
Loosehead Prop
Crusaders
The 34-year-old's cameo solidified the shaky scrum at Ellis Park — starts with De Groot in a 12-day concussion stand-down.
27 caps · 5 pts · 1 try
Impact
5–3 SPLIT
16AAAsafo Aumua
Hooker
Hurricanes
Explosive ball-carrying hooker to lift the tempo late.
23 caps · 15 pts · 3 tries
17XNXavier Numia
Loosehead Prop
Hurricanes
Two caps — onto the bench after shaking off an Achilles concern, with Bower promoted to start.
2 caps · 0 pts
18FNFletcher Newell
Tighthead Prop
Crusaders
Part of the bench trio whose arrival turned the scrum around last week.
38 caps · 10 pts · 2 tries
19PTPatrick Tuipulotu
Lock
Blues
The veteran comes in as lock cover with Lord ruled out and Vaa'i starting in the second row.
57 caps · 40 pts · 8 tries
20PLPeter Lakai
Loose Forward
Hurricanes
High-energy young loosie — got his first taste of the Boks off the bench last week.
11 caps · 10 pts · 2 tries
21KPKyle Preston
Scrumhalf
Crusaders
Keeps the bench 9 role with Cortez Ratima still out injured.
2 caps · 0 pts
22ALAnton Lienert-Brown 91 caps
Centre
Chiefs
The seasoned head in the backline reserves — 91 Tests of experience.
91 caps · 85 pts · 17 tries
23JMJosh Moorby
Outside Back
Hurricanes
Scored on his first outing against the Boks but makes way for Carter — covers wing and fullback.
3 caps · 5 pts · 1 try
First Test · Ellis Park · 22 Aug 2026
New Zealand 33 — 16 South Africa
The Boks made more clean breaks and hit more breakdowns, and still lost by 17 — the scoreboard came down to what each side did with the ball.
SpringboksAll Blacks
1Tries5
1Conversions4
3Penalty goals0
4Clean breaks1
3Offloads10
95Passes108
16Kicks from hand19
13/14Lineouts won11/14
3/4Scrums won11/14
109Tackles made124
81Breakdowns59
1Ball steals3
10Penalties conceded13
2Yellow cards0