Two decades ago New Zealand and South Africa met in the 1995 World Cup final. It took a Joel Stransky drop goal in overtime to get the Springboks over the line.
After that game the Springboks had a record of 22 wins, three draws and 17 losses against the All Blacks. At that time they were the only team that the All Blacks did not have a winning record over, which in effect made them New Zealand’s greatest rival.
The 1995 World Cup signified the beginning of the professional era in world rugby and two decades on their overall record provides much different reading. The All Blacks won 35 of the next 48 contests and now hold a commanding 52-win, three-draw and 35-loss record against the Springboks.
Since 1995 they have met twice in the Rugby World Cup. In 1999 in the bronze medal game neither side wanted to play, which the Springboks won, and in 2003 where the All Blacks slaughtered them in the quarter-finals by 20 points.
Since winning the 2011 Rugby World Cup, New Zealand have far and away been the best side in the world. In 52 matches since, they have won 47, drawn two and lost three. They have played South Africa seven times in that period, winning six and losing just once.
The form of both sides has been contrasting. To open the tournament, New Zealand powered to a 10-point win over a very spirited Argentina, who are arguably the second best team in the tournament on form, while Japan stunned South Africa in the biggest upset in rugby.
New Zealand fumbled and bumbled their way through the remaining pool games with three mediocre performances, while South Africa, knowing another loss could see a shock pool departure, dominated their remaining three games.
The quarter-finals again showed contrasting form. The All Blacks flicked the switch against France and demolished them in an 80-minute display that would have laid waste to any side. South Africa struggled to get over an injury-depleted Wales, scoring a try in the last five minutes to escape with a four-point win.
On form, South Africa have not looked great this tournament. They lost to Japan, who showed that if you play the game at speed you can cause the Springboks major headaches. They beat Samoa, who have been disappointing this tournament, and beat Scotland and the USA, who both rested their best players. Then came the limp Wales performance.
New Zealand by contrast accounted for Argentina, who are a better side than any the Springboks have faced, and used their next three games to experiment. When the need to step things up a level was necessary, they were unbelievable against the French.
There will be two styles of play in this game. The All Blacks will want to play an up-tempo game and run the Springboks off their feet. Japan did this to great effect early in the tournament and the All Blacks have used this to wear down the Springboks previously. South Africa will look to slow down the game and try control the set piece. Their scrum has been going well and their lineout is one of the best in the world.
The coaches have two different styles. The All Blacks will look to use all their players and play an expansive game while the Springboks will look to play a 10-man game and have their wings chasing box kicks and feeding off mistakes. It’s 6-1 in Steve Hansen’s favour to date and Heyneke Meyer is a coach that many have been critical of for not having a plan B.
On form it is extremely hard not to tip the All Blacks. They have a dominant 6-1 record over the Springboks under Meyer. The Springboks have been very ordinary this year, finishing winless in the Rugby Championship and having lost to New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and Japan this year.
If the teams bring last week’s form to the game, the Springboks will not even get close to the All Blacks. With the monkey off their back after winning in 2011 and redemption over France for 2007 they are in a good place.
In 2011 they had enormous pressure to win the tournament, but this time around the pressure is not there. It’s an expectation to win the tournament this time around and injury and form wise they are in a far better place than any World Cup they have competed in.
The All Blacks will win by 15 points. It will be close in the first half, but the second half the All Blacks will shred them open.
docrugby
Roar Rookie
The more things change, the more they stay the same…
KiwiDave
Roar Guru
Hats off to the Springboks. Very good performance from them. Had me worried for quite a bit in the last 20 minutes. They played their best game of the year without a shadow of a doubt. Sloppy discipline by the All Blacks. Was a game of two halves for them. Sloppy in the first, awesome in the second half
KiwiDave
Roar Guru
Of course you would finish stronger than Samoa B, Scotland B and USA B. Second string sides. Wales it was an arm wrestle right to the end. You have only played two sides this world cup who have played first string sides against you. Japan who beat you and Wales who almost beat you, despite missing half their side to injury.
NickSA
Guest
They are not fitter anymore, the boks have finished strong in all their games barring the japan game. The bok bench very strong.
KiwiDave
Roar Guru
Exactly. You can never write the Springboks off and nowhere have I said they can't win. They have the personnel to win this if they all fire. On current form though the All Blacks are going a hell of a lot better than them and if both teams bring their current form into this game, it will not be a close contest.
KiwiDave
Roar Guru
Lood De Jager was passed as fit. That's good news for the Springboks
KiwiDave
Roar Guru
How is the article arrogant? Predicting an in form All Black team to get an easy win over a Springbok team with questionable form is not being arrogant. All the worlds bookmakers have All Blacks to win by 9 or 10 points as well. Guess that makes them all arrogant as well. Saying South Africa is not playing their best rugby this season (losing to a tier 1 nation, winless in rugby championship) is not belittling an opponent. It is stating a fact. A fact that does not seem to sit well with you
Kabous
Roar Rookie
Sorry KiwiDave, cannot agree with you, the week prior to the French game, Hansen had to soothe the NZ public with kind words after weeks of uninspiring play by the AB's. The following week after euphoria floats the boat again, he had to tone down public feeling and expectancy again. There will be no shredding open of the Boks, none of it. It will be hard graft, all afternoon. Last few games between these two teams were rather closely scored. Boks are not the French, and trench warfare is the name of the game. No quarter will be asked or given. Japan has cured the Boks of not pitching for a game. This is not RC, its WC and happens only once every 4 years. Expect war mate. And the very real possibility of losing.
ebop
Guest
I'm picking a close brutal encounter and I'm a kiwi. Does that make you happy hopalong? But kiwidave is right, this is not a vintage SA team based on results this year. Do you have evidence to refute this? It's just a factual statement but doesn't mean they can't get up and beat the ABs.
The underdog squad has been announced Springboks: Willie le Roux, JP Pietersen, Jesse Kriel, Damian De Allende, Bryan Habana, Handré Pollard, Fourie du Preez (captain), Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger, Francois Louw, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane, Jannie du Plessis, Victor Matfield, Willem Alberts, Ruan Pienaar, Pat Lambie, Jan Serfontein
RobC
Roar Guru
Queen was hot in her younger days. Totally
docrugby
Roar Rookie
Although lt's fair to point out that the All Blacks thrashed England in1995 only to be pipped at the post by the Springboks in the Final and the Savea/Lomu multiple tries thing.the comparison ends there. Ellis Park was a cauldron of Bok emotion with a siege mentality and yes,the All Black ill health was also a contributing factor to their demise that day. This is vastly different. The chatter coming out of the All Black camp is exactly what we want to hear. "All we have done is earn the right to be here for another week"-McCaw. It's comments like this that assuage any fear we might have that the ABs are thinking about anything else besides South Africa. Once again.get it wrong and you go home. The Sydney Test is a stark lesson on what will happen if the ABs bring the wrong attitude. At this level, where there is very little difference in strength, fitness and size and although tactics play an important role.It is the mental edge that is the crucial ingredient that separates the excellence from the very good. Not much is written about Gilbert Enoka(Mental Skills Coach) but those that have had the benefit of his expertise cannot speak highly enough of what he brings to the table. Ultimately there are many ingredients to this delicious cocktail.Each play their part. However,before we move on to the Bokke let us take a moment to savour, that we as fans were permitted to sup the sweet nectar from the chalice of rugby perfection, when the game they play in heaven visited us on the mortal plane that was Cardiff, that one day in October. Now then,Springboks!Something wicked your way comes and it carries with it a great darkness. Until then Bokke.
KiwiDave
Roar Guru
Biltongbek, in all honesty I don't think there has been as bad a season from the Springboks since 2003. As I said earlier your 2013 or 2014 team were going much better. The 2015 edition is not a vintage one
hopalong
Guest
KIWI DAVE.What a wonderful riposte.You would be dynamite as part of a debating team. How criticism of your very arrogant article can be construed as having it.s genesis in an inferiority complex towards the AB,s is just ludicrous. The AB,s remain the best team on the planet.I accept this,and admire them.. But I will not get my jollies by belittling opponents.
I made no bold statements, in fact if you read what I had been saying on the Roar over the past four years you would know my head is most certainly not buried. But if you bold assertion doesn't eventuate, what does that say about the All Blacks? Their best team in the Pro era can't put 20+ on the worst Bok team since 2003? We can all stand in judgement ;)
KiwiDave
Roar Guru
If that floats your boat but saying the Springboks have had one of their worst years in the last two decades is not ridiculing them. Its stating a fact. When was the last time you lost to four different countries in the same year? When was the last time you lost to a country that wasn't a tier one nation? The Springboks have set a number of firsts this year. First ever loss to Argentina and first ever loss to a non tier one country for example. You are still in the world cup but if you fall to the All Blacks this weekend this year will be remembered as one of the worst in Springbok rugby history. You can bury your head in the sand and deny what I am saying here, but anyone who isn't a one eyed Springbok fan can see your side is going through the motions.
DCNZ
Guest
I would like to see a game akin to the 2013 Joburg performance - both teams going hard out. Still my favourite test this century.
mapu
Guest
Refreshing from the last few days.Now I'm starting to struggle staying on task.Game on[nearly
Steve Prendergrast
Guest
Well said there Jake. Especially the last sentence.
Steve Prendergrast
Guest
You'll have to stop going on like this Harry. You're frightening everybody