[imagesource: Darren England / EPA]

The kick-off in one of rugby’s fiercest rivalries is taking place this Saturday in Nelspruit at the Mbombela Stadium at 5:05PM, where the Springboks will host the All Blacks in the first clash of The Rugby Championship.

The last two times that the All Blacks and Springboks met were in 2021. New Zealand won the first encounter by two points with the match finishing 19-17, and the Springboks won the second match by two points, 31-29. Betway sa currently has Saturday’s match in favour of South Africa to win with the odds @1.76 and the odds @2.23 for New Zealand to win. 

It’s been almost three weeks since the Boks played their last match against Wales. South Africa hosted the Welsh for a three-test match series in July where coach Jacques Nienaber and his team managed to narrowly claim a 2-1 series win. No chances will be taken in Saturday’s match against the All Black with Siya Kolisi leading the charge and Nienaber only making three changes to Saturday’s team.

Hooker Malcolm Marx will be running out for his 50th test. The other changes include the return of Faf de Klerk at scrumhalf after only playing one and a quarter matches against Wales. The third change is winger Kurt-Lee Arendse who will be filling the shoes of Cheslin Kolbe who is recovering from a jaw injury.

New Zealand has a lot to prove in Saturday’s match. The All Black team is still reeling after their home series defeat to the Irish in July. Coach Ian Foster made a total of four changes in his squad for Saturday’s match including the surprise addition winger Sevu Reece. 

The Rugby Championship will continue with a second test against NZ on August 13 at the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg. The Boks will then pack their bags and head for Australia for two more Rugby Championship matches. Their first match against the Wallabies is on August 27, with the second match following the next week on September 3.

The Springboks will then travel to Argentina for their last two remaining Rugby Championship matches. Their first against the Pumas will take place on September 17, and the last series match on September 24.