They say there is rugby for everyone else and then there is the hallowed Springboks vs All Blacks clash.
This cannot be truer than the excitement in the build-up towards the latest instalment of the rivalry between the two rugby giants at Ellis Park on Saturday.
So many anecdotes are in play in this start of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series which has whipped the rugby world into a frenzy akin to a World Cup final.
There are several reasons for this euphoria, one of which is the return of the tour between the sides since 1996.
With the All Blacks having already piqued interest since arriving in the country and engaging in warm-up matches, beating the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls by comfortable margins, the stage is set for the renewal of the rivalry against the world champions on Saturday.
While New Zealand were sharpening their claws with wins over the Stormers, the Springboks escaped with a 17-10 harder-than expected victory over Argentina.
With other matches of the four-Test series scheduled for the DHL Stadium in Cape Town, FNB in Johannesburg and M&T Bank in Baltimore in the US, Saturday’s clash will give an indication of what to expect from both teams, with their technical teams tested to the limit.
Already coaches Rassie Erasmus and Dave Rennie are embroiled in mind games to get a psychological edge, with the Springbok mentor citing the opposition’s physicality and brutality as a worrying factor.
There is a general feeling that neither team revealed their strategies in their previous games, with the Springboks’ performance in Argentina attributed to Erasmus’s shrewdness to play his cards close to his chest.
Also, New Zealand’s display against the Stormers, when they shipped in three tries, and the 50-19 victory over the hastily assembled Bulls showed nothing of what to expect on Saturday.
This was not lost on Erasmus, who observed that the All Blacks will be a different kettle of fish by displaying other facets such as line-out variations, and either front or back peel moves, among other surprises.
One thing that is certain is that the 62,000 spectators expected to fill Ellis Park will be treated to a thrill-a-minute encounter similar to previous clashes such as the unforgettable Jona Lomu-inspired 1995 World Cup clash at the same venue.
Having dislodged New Zealand as the top-ranked side since 2018, the Springboks are enjoying arguably their best run in rugby circles and will fight hard to retain their reputation.
Erasmus knows that an aura of invincibility invites added pressure as every opposition is gunning for their skin.
We can only wish the Springboks luck, though the All Blacks also command a big following in the country.
Daily Dispatch
