South Africa VS New Zealand Location: Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
South Africa VS New Zealand Date: Saturday, July 31
BetXchange South Africa VS New Zealand Odds:
History
The top two sides in the 2024 Rugby Championship meet on Saturday as South Africa hosts New Zealand in Johannesburg. The Test at Ellis Park is the first of two matches between the nations in South Africa, with a clash in Cape Town awaiting on September 7.
The Springboks have the maximum ten points available after two rounds of play after doing whatever they wanted to the Wallabies in Australia. That South Africa picked up a bonus point victory in the second of the two Tests while fielding almost an entirely second-string side says much about the current rugby climate in each country.
New Zealand was stunned in their opening game of the Rugby Championship as Argentina picked up a shock win in Wellington. The 38-30 victory was no more than Los Puma deserved, though the win seemed to rile up the All Blacks. In the second Test between the two sides at Eden Park, it was all about New Zealand. Their 42-10 win was one they had to have, setting up this series of two Tests between the two nations currently flying the flag for Southern Hemisphere rugby.
South Africa
The Springboks have drafted double World Cup winner Eben Etzebeth into their side for this one, though the giant lock will start from the bench.
Etzebeth was initially not in the South Africa 23, but an injury crisis that sees the Boks down five options at lock means he is included. Pieter Steph du Toit and Ruan Nortje are the starters in the second row almost by default, but the bomb squad that includes Etzebeth, Kwagga Smith, Vincent Koch, and Malcolm Marx feels as fearsome as ever.
New Zealand
Sam Cane is back in the All Blacks side as he makes his first appearance for his country since the Rugby World Cup final. The only other change for New Zealand is a welcome one, with captain Scott Barrett returning from a finger injury to start at lock.
Dalton Papali’i is the man Cane is replacing, with a thumb injury keeping the flanker out of contention. This means that Mark Tale’a has been unable to displace either Caleb Clarke or Will Jordan on the wings, while Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane continue at center
Best Bets
Historically, this matchup has favored the All Blacks. New Zealand has won 62 matches, while South Africa has won 40 against its biggest rival. Since this format replaced the Tri-Nations in 2012, New Zealand has won all but two Rugby Championship tournaments, including the last four trophies.
Because of matches like this, the All Blacks have become a part of rugby folklore. South Africa appears on top of its game after winning last year’s World Cup, while the All Blacks have been stuttering under new head coach Scott Robinson.
This is the type of game that New Zealand historically finds a way to win, but I can’t see it here. Take the Boks and the points at home as they reel off a statement victory on their way to the Rugby Championship crown.
