Springboks v All Blacks
Kick-off: 3am Sunday 1 September (NZT)
Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Live blog coverage on RNZ Sport
Analysis - The All Blacks have returned to South Africa for the first time in two years for a rematch of last year's World Cup final.
They find themselves at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, arguably the most hostile environment for any visiting team in the world, so the man who is the biggest talking point of the selection brings a ton of welcome experience.
Sam Cane is back in the starting openside position, his first test start since last year's World Cup final. Unfortunately, that experience didn't last very long - Cane was red-carded after his shoulder connected with Springbok centre Jesse Kriel's head. It looked like it was going to be an ignominious end for Cane, a view that solidified when it was revealed he'd suffered a back injury so bad in January, it would keep away from playing for the better part of six months.
Yet, against all odds - only heightened due to the fact that he is a major link to Ian Foster's previous regime - Cane finds himself running out for the biggest test of the season so far.
New Zealand’s Sam Cane and head coach Scott Robertson. Photo: Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
"He's that test veteran we need on the high veldt," said Robertson this morning at the team's hotel in Johannesburg.
"He has that calmness, but also those tough shoulders, so we're excited for him. Dalton [Papali'i] has a thumb injury, but there's not much in it. Dalton's obviously played really well, but we just thought that was the best option for this test."
The other big selection was that of Scott Barrett at lock and captain, although that was foreshadowed back when his finger injury ruled him out of the last two tests. Barrett is a much-needed physical presence against a Springbok side that is now reliant on quick ball, using it to great effect so far this season.
Both Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit have seen a large increase in the number of times they've carried the ball, using their big frames to punch holes around the 15m channel. Barrett, Tupou Vaa'i and Cane's loose forward group will need to be readily aware of this threat, as that momentum has been quickly turned into opportunities for the likes of Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse.
"Everyone knows how South Africa plays," Robertson said. "Their kicking game is exemplary, the ruck work. They're playing a little bit more, there's a little bit of Tony Brown magic in there. They can play around you if they need to so we're well aware of all their strengths."
Rassie Erasmus. Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
Tamaiti Williams will be a key man, given that the All Black scrum has been the biggest success story of this season so far. The big prop will have his work cut out for him against Frans Malherbe and the inevitable introduction of Vincent Koch and the 'bomb squad'. Like Cane though, he's been here before - Williams debuted against the Springboks last year in Auckland and played a big role in the defusal efforts on the bomb squad and the eventual 35-20 win.
This is the first time these sides have met since the World Cup final, and it's fair to say while things have changed, they've also stayed the same. Cane's inclusion is proof of that, while the Springbok side features 12 of the players that ground out the tense 12-11 victory in Paris.
Tellingly though, the same number of All Blacks played in the aforementioned 2022 test at Ellis Park, which involved a lot more pressure than what this current side is under. The Springboks are favourites, but no one is in danger of losing their job this weekend.
At least, that's the plan.
Springboks: 1. Ox Nche 2. Bongi Nbonambi 3. Frans Malherbe 4. Pieter-Steph du Toit 5. Ruan Nortje 6. Siya Kolisi (c) 7. Ben-Jason Dixon 8. Jasper Wiese 9. Cobus Reinach 10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse 12. Damian de Allande 13. Jesse Kriel 14. Cheslin Kolbe 15. Aphelele Fassi
Bench: 16. Malcolm Marx 17. Gerhard Steenkamp 18. Vincent Koch 19. Eben Etzebeth 20. Elrigh Louw 21. Kwagga Smith 22. Grant Williams 23. Handre Pollard
All Blacks: 1. Tamaiti Williams 2. Codie Taylor 3. Tyrel Lomax 4. Scott Barrett (c) 5. Tupou Vaa'i 6. Ethan Blackadder 7. Sam Cane 8. Ardie Savea (c) 9. TJ Perenara 10. Damian McKenzie 11. Caleb Clarke 12. Jordie Barrett 13. Rieko Ioane 14. Will Jordan 15. Beauden Barrett
Bench: 16. Asafo Aumua 17. Ofa Tu'ungafasi 18. Fletcher Newell 19. Sam Darry 20. Samipeni Finau 21. Cortez Ratima 22. Anton Lienert-Brown 23. Mark Tele'a
