Now that the South African leg of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry (RGR) between the Springboks and the All Blacks is over, we can look back at a festival of rugby that had spades of drama and entertainment. The seven matches played on our shores — four tour matches and three Tests — dished up a festival of rugby that will long be remembered.
Here, The National looks at the highs and lows of those games played in the country, ahead of the fourth and final Test this weekend in Baltimore on Saturday (kick-off 11pm).
What a high: All Blacks came to play some rugby
Since Rassie Erasmus took charge of the Boks, the men in Green and Gold have played their great rivals on 18 occasions. The Boks have won 10 of those encounters, with a further draw in the mix.
It is one of the reasons the All Blacks have lamented their fall from the pinnacle of international rugby in recent years. They were then desperate to rectify that record against the Boks while ushering in a new world order with them returned to the top of the World Rugby rankings as its undisputed No 1 team.
Without a competent New Zealand, there would have been no successful series; and Dave Rennie’s men went beyond that brief. They played with passion and executed an exciting brand of rugby that had many South Africans concerned, especially after their first Test 33-16 win at Ellis Park.
These two nations are once again on a collision course at next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia, with a quarter-final match-up expected. On the evidence of what coach Rennie and Co have achieved so far, it is shaping up to be a nerve-wracking experience should it happen.
What a downer: The Sharks embarrass themselves
The tour matches weren’t the greatest of spectacles, to be honest, and their timing had a lot to do with it.
The United Rugby Championship (URC) teams were still early in their pre-season preparations, and it showed. The Stormers put in a valiant fight to lose 38-21 but ran out of gas by the end. In the third tour match — against the Bulls — a similar script followed as the All Blacks beat the Pretoria-based outfit 50-19.
The Sharks, however, were just plain poor. They selected an extremely young and inexperienced matchday 23, and arguably did not respect the occasion. The crowd at Kings Park — admittedly the weather was terrible on a Tuesday evening — was meagre and underwhelming, making the entire affair a lacklustre exercise.
They lost 54-0, a defeat that brought into question the merits of the long tour and the value of playing against provincial sides.
A similar problem is on the cards in 2030 when the RGR will be hosted in New Zealand with the Super Rugby franchises out of season, too. Hopefully by then a world rugby calendar will have rectified the issue.
What a high: Third Test brilliance
The third Test at FNB Stadium was a treat to witness and a special occasion to attend.
Not only was the venue brilliant, but the rugby on display was arguably some of the best since the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup in 2023. Of course, the matches at Ellis Park and Cape Town Stadium were unique in their own right, but the spectacle in Soweto was just exceptional.
The All Blacks started with real intent, controlling the match for the first 25 minutes by racing to a 12-0 lead. The Boks, however, showed their world champion pedigree and smashed past the visitors to win 29-24. In attendance were 85 000 supporters who created a beautiful atmosphere.
It should have been the climax to the series but in lieu of that, rugby must seek to return to the venue as soon as logically possible.
What a downer: The final destination
The upcoming Baltimore Test should have been the first match between the rivals. While we can all agree that it would have been logistically extremely tough to pull off, having the final Test on foreign soil has resulted in a weird limbo.
FNB Stadium would have been the perfect venue for the trophy presentation, and the celebration thereafter. Instead, the Boks will either lift the new trophy in its complete form, or split it in half with the All Blacks, on US soil. It is not idea that the true decided — the series is finely balanced 2-1 in favour of the Boks — will be played away from the core of the tour's fan base.
Alternatively, the fourth Test should be removed from the RGR and counted towards an abbreviated Rugby Championship — the Boks have already played Argentina and are scheduled to play the Wallabies after this weekend.
Although it makes financial sense to host the match abroad, from a series perspective, it has dented the finality of the three Tests played in South Africa. Let’s hope the fourth Test has a much clearer role in 2030 when the All Blacks host the Boks.
What a high: The Lions push All Blacks hard
After sitting through three mostly middling tour matches, and a disappointing first Test loss, South African rugby fans needed anyone, anything to pick up their spirits.
Enter URC SA Shield winners the Lions and URC Coach of the Year Ivan van Rooyen.
The Lions had nothing to lose and played that way too in their tour match against the All Blacks. They scored five tries to the All Blacks’ seven to lose narrowly 41-35. It was an exhilarating match, the highlight of which will always be the Lions’ pushover try from a 5m scrum.
Several Lions players only improved their reputations — which tour matches should all be about — including Siba Mahashe, Francke Horn, Nico Steyn, Chris Smith, Henco van Wyk and Quan Horn.
More importantly, after four disappointing matches, and coupled with the evolving off-field drama between the national teams, the Lions clash reinvigorated the tour in a purely positive manner, and it is thanks to the Joburgers taking the opportunity seriously while having a bit of fun while doing it.
Our combined starting XV for RGR: South Africa leg
15 Damian McKenzie (NZL), 14 Will Jordan (NZL), 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damain de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Ruben Love (NZL), 9 Cameron Roigard (NZL), 8 Ardie Savea (NZL), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche