Springboks vs All Blacks: Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Test one preview
The Springboks and All Blacks begin Rugby's Greatest Rivalry at Ellis Park on Saturday in one of the most anticipated Tests of 2026.
South Africa and New Zealand meet for the 111th time as the inaugural four-Test Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series gets underway in Johannesburg.
The Springboks enter as the world's No 1-ranked side and have won five of their last six meetings with the All Blacks, while New Zealand arrive after three emphatic victories over South African franchises.
With both coaches naming strong but intriguing line-ups, the opening Test presents several fascinating tactical battles.
De Allende reaches another Springbok milestone
Perhaps the most fitting place to start is with Damian de Allende.
The centre will earn his 100th Test cap for the Springboks at Ellis Park, becoming only the 10th South African player to reach the landmark.
De Allende has become one of the defining midfielders of the modern Springbok era.
His consistency, physicality and ability to rise to the occasion have made him a fixture in South Africa's biggest matches, including the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup triumphs.
Partnered by Jesse Kriel, he will face a New Zealand midfield containing Jordie Barrett and Quinn Tupaea.
Tupaea presents a particularly intriguing challenge.
The 27-year-old was named 2026 Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year following a superb campaign for the Chiefs, earning recognition for his ball-carrying, defensive intensity and leadership.
This is therefore a midfield battle containing considerable physicality, experience and form.
All Blacks' backline brings serious speed
The most obvious threat to South Africa could come from the All Blacks' ability to attack space.
Damian McKenzie has recovered from the ankle problem that threatened his involvement and returns at full-back, while Will Jordan comes back into the starting XV on the right wing.
Josh Moorby completes the back three on the left.
There is plenty of familiarity further inside.
Cam Roigard and Ruben Love reunite as the half-back combination, while Love's Hurricanes relationship with Roigard and Jordie Barrett gives New Zealand a group of players accustomed to operating together.
That could be important against the Springboks' defensive line.
Rennie has essentially asked Roigard and Love to play what is in front of them.
If South Africa's line speed creates space, New Zealand have the speed and skill to attack it immediately.
The All Blacks have also brought back three players who did not feature in the franchise matches: Ardie Savea, Roigard and Jordan.
Rennie believes those earlier matches helped expose his younger players to South African conditions while allowing New Zealand to develop combinations.
Springbok pack provides the physical counter
South Africa's answer is obvious: make the game uncomfortable.
The Springbok pack contains an extraordinary amount of experience and physicality, beginning with Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw in the front row.
Louw's selection at tighthead is particularly significant. South Africa will want to test New Zealand's scrum and establish a platform from which their backs can operate.
And the bench offers another dimension.
Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp and Zachary Porthen provide fresh legs in the front row, with Porthen's athleticism particularly useful as the game opens up in the second half.
Behind them, Eben Etzebeth and Ruan Nortje return as the second-row pairing.
That combination gives South Africa considerable lineout experience and physicality, while the back-row trio of Paul de Villiers, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese presents one of the most imposing aspects of the Springbok selection.
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De Villiers gets the nod ahead of Kolisi
The most surprising selection decision was undoubtedly Siya Kolisi's omission.
Erasmus confirmed that Kolisi trained during the week and was available for selection, but the Springbok coach opted to give Paul de Villiers the opportunity instead.
"We could have selected him for this clash, we thought it would be best to select Paul," Erasmus said.
"We are playing four Tests against the All Blacks and Paul has been playing well, so we are excited to give him a chance."
That decision says plenty about how highly Erasmus currently rates De Villiers.
The young flanker has been one of the standout additions to the Springbok squad this season, particularly around the breakdown and in his work rate across the field.
He now gets his first opportunity against New Zealand with Du Toit taking over as captain.
Du Toit and Wiese are arguably South Africa's established first-choice number seven and number eight, giving De Villiers an opportunity to operate alongside two of the team's most reliable forwards.
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Half-backs could dictate the tempo
Another fascinating tactical battle will come at nine and 10.
Grant Williams and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu start for South Africa, with both capable of injecting considerable tempo when the Springboks secure front-foot ball.
That could be particularly important if the forwards establish dominance.
Meanwhile, Cobus Reinach and Manie Libbok provide a different option from the bench. Their introduction could allow South Africa to alter the rhythm of the contest through more controlled kicking, box kicks and aerial pressure.
New Zealand will want the opposite.
Roigard and Love have the pace and attacking instincts to keep the ball moving, and the All Blacks' three franchise victories have demonstrated how dangerous their backs can become when they build momentum.
Rennie knows, however, that this is an entirely different challenge.
"They are No 1 in the world, playing at their spiritual home in front of their passionate fans, so we will have to be at our very best on Saturday," he said.
Savea returns for the biggest test
Savea's return may ultimately prove just as important as any selection in the New Zealand backline.
The All Blacks captain did not feature in their three South African franchise matches after arriving in the country later than the rest of the touring group. He now returns at number eight and will win his 110th Test cap.
Savea will need to be enormous.
The Springboks' back row is built around physical dominance and breakdown pressure, and Du Toit and Wiese will provide an entirely different challenge from the opposition Savea has faced during the Nations Championship.
But Savea has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to produce his best rugby when New Zealand need him most.
If he can win collisions, disrupt South Africa's ball and give Roigard quick possession, the All Blacks can begin creating the fast, open game they want.
If South Africa instead dictate the physical battle, the challenge becomes considerably greater.
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The first battle of four
The significance of Saturday extends beyond a single Test.
This is the first of four meetings between the Springboks and All Blacks during Rugby's Greatest Rivalry, with the series continuing in Cape Town, Johannesburg and ultimately Baltimore.
History suggests that the opening encounter matters enormously.
The two nations have contested 13 Test series, with the series ledger currently tied at five apiece, while the All Blacks have won the last three series.
South Africa also have the recent psychological advantage, having won five of their last six meetings, including the extraordinary 43-10 victory in Wellington last year.
But this is a different All Blacks side.
McKenzie is back. Roigard is back. Jordan is back. Savea is back. And Tupaea arrives as the reigning Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year.
South Africa, meanwhile, have the world's most formidable forward pack and a backline capable of exploiting the platform it creates.
Rassie Erasmus summed up the challenge ahead succinctly.
"They are a quality team and they're very well coached, so we are preparing for an 80-minute grind," he said.
And that may ultimately be the defining question of the first Test: can New Zealand's speed and accuracy survive 80 minutes against the Springboks' physicality, pressure and depth?
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Springboks vs All Blacks - First Test
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Date: Saturday, August 22
Kick-off: 5:10pm SAST
Springboks 23
15 Damian Willemse
14 Cheslin Kolbe
13 Jesse Kriel
12 Damian de Allende
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
9 Grant Williams
1 Ox Nche
2 Malcolm Marx
3 Wilco Louw
4 Eben Etzebeth
5 Ruan Nortje
6 Paul de Villiers
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (c)
8 Jasper Wiese
Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, Zachary Porthen, Cobus Wiese, Andre Esterhuizen, Marco van Staden, Cobus Reinach, Manie Libbok.
All Blacks 23
15 Damian McKenzie
14 Will Jordan
13 Quinn Tupaea
12 Jordie Barrett
11 Josh Moorby
10 Ruben Love
9 Cam Roigard
1 Ethan de Groot
2 Codie Taylor
3 Tyrel Lomax
4 Josh Lord
5 Fabian Holland
6 Tupou Vaa'i
7 Luke Jacobson
8 Ardie Savea (c)
Replacements: Asafo Aumua, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Anton Segner, Peter Lakai, Kyle Preston, Anton Lienert-Brown, Leroy Carter.
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