By Siyasanga Monoalibe
The Springboks will be getting down to business this week, as they prepare themselves for their biggest assignment yet, when they tackle the All Blacks in the first Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry at Ellis Park Stadium on Saturday.
The Boks are enjoying a 12-game unbeaten run and will look to keep their winning streak intact against a strong New Zealand side.
The rugby showdown is scheduled to get underway at 5:10 pm, with the game expected to be a sold-out affair.
South Africa head into this long-awaited encounter at the back of a hard-fought 17-10 victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires on August 8.
The two rugby giants will then take their rivalry to the Cape Town Stadium on August 29, followed by a return to Johannesburg at the FNB Stadium on September 5, and will close it out at the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, USA, on September 12. Boks coach, Rassie Erasmus will announce the team that will take to the field on Saturday this coming week, with the return of experienced and World Cup-winning stars Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager, as well as Morne van den Berg and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu from injury.
Captain Siya Kolisi could be a doubt after going off injured with a hamstring in the first half of the game against Argentina. Apart from that, the skipper was one of the best performers among the injury returnees, with strong runs and robust tackling.
De Jager and Feinberg-Mngomezulu were rusty and struggled in that match, with the latter making several unprecedented errors. Despite Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s mistake-ridden performance, the 24-year-old playmaker surely was one of the players Erasmus would have had a pleasure to see return to his team and get some much-needed minutes on his legs, especially ahead of the tough encounter against the fierce All Blacks.
“A number of players were short on game time returning from injury, but getting them through 80 minutes was always going to affect our fluency. The positive is that we got them through the game,” Erasmus said after the Argentina clash.
- The Springboks will face the All Blacks in the first Test at Ellis Park Stadium on Saturday, kicking off Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
- South Africa currently holds a 12-game unbeaten streak and won their last match 17-10 against Argentina on August 8.
- The Test series will continue with matches at Cape Town Stadium on August 29, FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on September 5, and M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on September 12.
- Experienced players Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Morne van den Berg, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu are returning from injury ahead of the game.
- Captain Siya Kolisi may miss the match due to a hamstring injury sustained during the first half against Argentina.
