South Africa produced a strong performance at DHL Stadium on Saturday to defeat New Zealand 33-26 and level the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series at one victory apiece, setting up another highly anticipated clash at FNB Stadium in Soweto this weekend.
The result gave the Springboks valuable momentum heading into the third Test, but the team knows that another tough challenge awaits against an All Blacks side determined to respond. The Boks returned to Johannesburg on Sunday morning and will use the early part of the week to recover before stepping up their preparations for what promises to be another memorable encounter between the two traditional rivals.
Speaking about the prospect of playing at FNB Stadium in front of a crowd of more than 80,000 supporters, Springbok prop Ox Nche said the occasion would be enormous for both teams. “I think it’s going to be massive and we hope it will be sold out. It’s going to be a huge occasion, and a challenge for both teams, and we’re looking forward to it,” said Nche.
Saturday’s victory was particularly special for Nche, who earned his 50th Test cap for South Africa in the match. The milestone marked an important moment in his career, with the prop reflecting on the people who had helped him reach the highest level of international rugby. “Looking back at the journey, it was special,” said Nche. “It was a day of reflection, seeing how far I’ve come and thinking about all the people who believed in me and backed me through the years. I just wanted to make them proud and keep going.”
Despite the celebrations surrounding his milestone, Nche was quick to turn his attention back to the team and the remaining matches in the series. The Springboks were pleased with the way they defended against the All Blacks, but Nche believes there is still plenty of room for improvement, particularly when it comes to attacking opportunities and ball retention.
“I think we played and defended very well,” said Nche. “I feel like we could have done better in attack and taken a few more chances, and we didn’t look after the ball as well as we could have. But the result is what matters.”
With the series now level at 1-1, Nche expects New Zealand to return with an even stronger performance in Johannesburg. “We saw the mistakes we made last week and tried to fix them this week. They’re probably feeling now the way we felt last weekend, and they will obviously come back better, so it’s our responsibility to keep improving and capitalise on our chances,” he said.
The third Test at FNB Stadium will be another major chapter in one of rugby’s greatest rivalries. With both teams desperate to take the series lead, the Johannesburg clash promises to be another physical and fiercely contested battle. The Springboks will be looking to use home advantage and the support of a huge Johannesburg crowd to claim the series lead, while the All Blacks will be determined to bounce back and put themselves in a strong position ahead of the final Test.
The rivalry between South Africa and New Zealand has produced some of the most memorable moments in international rugby, and with the series finely balanced, another classic could be waiting in Soweto. Both teams understand the importance of the encounter, with victory giving either side a crucial advantage in the race to win Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series.
The match between South Africa and New Zealand takes place at FNB Stadium on Saturday, 5 September, with kick-off scheduled for 17h10. With the series tied at 1-1, the stage is set for another thrilling battle between two of the biggest names in world rugby.
