The Greatest Rivalry in overdrive: Five key match-ups that will decide Springboks v All Blacks in Soweto

With the crucial third Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry a day away between the Springboks and All Blacks, the mini-battles that will define the clash make for an intriguing mix of styles, strategies and talents.

Here, The National looks at the key match-ups that could decide the encounter at FNB Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 17:00) will be crucial.

Cheslin Kolbe v Damian McKenzie

• Kolbe — Minutes (Min): 160 | Defenders beaten (DB): 5 | Clean breaks (CB): 2 | Passes (Pa): 3 | Metres gained (MG): 68m | Turnovers (TO): 5 | Tackle success (TS): 75% | Points (PTS): 29 (7 penalties; 4 conversions)

Jack-of-all-trades Kolbe moves to fullback for this Test after the injury to Damian Willemse, and will be expected to not only keep the scoreboard ticking with his boot, but now also fulfil an important playmaker role.

Out on the wing, Kolbe has received scant ball in good attacking positions so far in this series, but that should change in Soweto. Not only will he be expected to field the tactical and territorial kicking of the All Blacks, but he will be asked to inspire counter-attacking opportunities from backfield, while slotting in at first-receiver when the Boks require.

The stats show that McKenzie has fulfilled a similar role for the All Blacks. The 31-year-old remains a dangerous proposition with ball in hand, able to slip tackles, spot gaps and turn his natural flair into point-scoring opportunities.

In many respects, the Kolbe and McKenzie battle offers a mirror image, such are their similarities in approach, and who comes out on top could come down to tiny margins of error.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu v Ruben Love

• Feinberg-Mngomezulu — Min: 160 | DB: 5 | CB: 2 | Pa: 19 | Offloads (O): 3 | MG: 39m | Kicks-from-hand (K): 17 | TO: 5 | TS: 82% | PTS: 0

We have yet to see the best of Feinberg-Mngomezulu. We all know that the 24-year-old is a prodigious talent, but he has been battling to find his form over the last three Tests, including the match against Argentina at the beginning of August.

In contrast, Love is only growing in stature as the tour continues. The 25-year-old is one of the reasons the All Blacks are finding space around the outside of the Boks when on attack through his excellent passing. He, along with half-back partner Cameron Roigard, have marshalled their backline to great effect.

Nonetheless, it always feels as if Feinberg-Mngomezulu is one brilliant moment away from unlocking his confidence – Bok fans hope it comes sooner rather than later during the third Test – and should that happen, the men in Green and Gold will have a potent general in the backline with unequalled X-factor.

Perhaps the one area in Love’s game that Feinberg-Mngomezulu and his teammates can exploit is his defence. Love has slipped several tackles, and it is a well-established fact that the slightly bigger Feinberg-Mngomezulu is not afraid of taking the ball up into contact.

Ardie Savea v Siya Kolisi

• Kolisi — Min: 42 | Carries (Ca): 1 | DB: 1 | CB: 0 | Pa: 1 | O: 1 | MG: 4m | TO: 0 | TS: 84% | PTS: 5 (one try)

The absence of Kolisi during the first Test loss at Ellis Park was acutely felt. His first-half performance in Cape Town, meanwhile, seemed to galvanise the Boks into action. He played a solid 40-plus minutes and for the rest of the game could be seen on the sidelines urging his team on to victory with purposeful gesticulations.

Savea, meanwhile, has been monstrous for the All Blacks, not only as skipper, but in general play as well, linking with the backline with scary efficiency while grinding it out up-front with his pack. He has led from the front with his physicality and has been excellent in helping the visitors execute their gameplan on attack.

Although they play in different positions in the loose-trio – Kolisi at open-side flank and Savea at No 8 – they are talismanic to their side's success. Their leadership roles are above reproach. Kolisi, however, will need to make a big step up to match his counterpart's impact on the game in both attack and defence this weekend.

Ruan Nortje v Sam Darry

• Nortje — Min: 147 | Ca: 5 | DB: 0 | CB: 0 | Pa: 10 | MG: 17m | TO: 0 | TS: 91%

If there is one area that the Boks can definitely exploit this weekend, it is the line-out. After 29 of them, the Boks have lost only one. Compared to the six the All Blacks have already lost – out of 32 – the Boks will have the psychological edge heading into the clash at that set-piece.

Fabian Holland has arguably been one of the standout performers for the All Blacks in the last two games in general play. It would seem, however, that coach Dave Rennie has opted to rotate his locks, introducing Darry into the starting XV alongside Tupou Vaa’i, while dropping Holland to the bench.

Rennie’s justification for the selection argued that the All Blacks require a massive engine at altitude to help the physicality of the pack, but it might come at the expense of an understanding between the forwards at line-out time.

Nortje, along with Bok stalwart Eben Etzebeth, flank Pieter-Steph du Toit and replacement Lood de Jager, have a real opportunity to boss the line-out by creating an attacking platform while disrupting the visitors’ throw-ins to maximum effect.

Ox Nche v Tyrel Lomax

• Nche — Min: 90 | Ca: 3 | DB: 0 | CB: 0 | Pa: 0 | MG: 8m | TO: 1 | TS: 70%

One of the big discussion points this week has surrounded the scrums. Allegations of illegal scrummaging akin to cheating have been levelled against the hosts, much to the chagrin of Rassie Erasmus and the Boks. The All Blacks seem to be employing their own dark arts at the set-piece, and their pundits and supporters have ramped up the narrative regarding the Boks’ technique in an effort to deflect from their own shortcomings at the set-piece.

The All Blacks are not mucking about at scrum-time. They are feeding the scrums quickly and arguably under their prop’s feet, the ball popping out between the lock and openside flank's feet in an effort to negate the power of the Boks' scrum.

The All Blacks seem to believe that the Boks are "walking in the scrum," a statement you can be sure the latter have taken umbrage to this past week.

Nche is arguably the best scrummager in the world and is most likely insulted by all this insinuation, so it will be up to Lomax to quell what will surely be a peeved loose-head prop.

Honourable mention

Rassie Erasmus v Dave Rennie: After all is said and done, and the dust settles after the series, Erasmus and Rennie will likely have a quiet beer together to review their teams and discuss the games.

This past week, however, has been quite niggly. Each coach has attempted to land a verbal jab or two in the build-up to the game, with their respective supporters, commentators, pundits and media contingents running with sensationalist angles and controversial takes.

It has made for a fascinating build-up, spilling over with anticipation and excitement – and a relative amount of fan toxicity, which could spill over on Saturday.

Nonetheless, the tactical battle that awaits at FNB Stadium between the two mentors is shaping up to be just as important and memorable as the on-field action. If this past week has proven anything, it is that for a long period of time Erasmus was the undisputed king of psychological warfare in rugby. In Rennie, he may have found an equal.

* Statistics taken via Ultimate Rugby