There will be immense pressure on the All Blacks when they take on the Springboks at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit following their recent 2-1 shock series loss to Ireland at home.
Over the past seven matches, two or less points have separated these two sides six times but South Africa will be slight favourites because they are playing at a venue that the All Blacks are not familiar with.
The Springboks will be confident going into this fixture against their bitter rivals as they beat Wales 2-1 in a recent home series but they need to improve from those performances.
Springboks VS New Zealand
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has made three changes to the starting team for the Rugby Championship clash against New Zealand at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday.
Malcolm Marx, who will earn his 50th Test cap, will run out at hooker to replace Bongi Mbonambi while Faf de Klerk comes in at scrumhalf in a rotational switch with Jaden Hendrikse.
The only injury-enforced change is on the right wing, where Kurt-Lee Arendse will earn his second Test cap in place of Cheslin Kolbe who is recovering from a broken jaw.
Both Mbonambi and Hendrikse will play off the replacements bench, where the only other change is the inclusion of lock Salmaan Moerat in the place of loose forward Elrigh Louw.
For the visitors, Samisoni Taukei’aho has been named in the run-on side at hooker to play alongside tighthead prop Angus Ta’avao in a new-look front row. New faces make up the front-row cover, with Tyrel Lomax and Ethan de Groot named for the first time in the 2022 international season.
The tight five welcome back lock Scott Barrett from injury, while Akira Ioane retains his spot at blindside flanker in the loose forward trio alongside captain Sam Cane and Ardie Savea. Another feature of the run-on side is the return of winger 23-year-old Caleb Clarke for his first All Blacks Test since 2020.
