The Springboks will face the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time since 2019, but have a positive recent record against their rivals.
– South Africa have won two of their last three men’s Tests against New Zealand after having won only two of their 17 previous meetings (D1, L14). Although, the Springboks were defeated 23-35 in their most recent meeting (August 2022).
– New Zealand are winless in their last two Tests on home turf against South Africa (D1, L1) with their last meeting at home against the Springboks ending in the 16-16 draw (July 2019). However, they had won eight in a row prior to that two-game stretch.
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– South Africa have won 37% of their 103 previous Tests against New Zealand, the best win rate of any team. In fact, they are the only team to have won even one third of their games against the All Blacks. Australia (26%) are the second-most successful team against New Zealand.
– New Zealand have won their last three Tests on the bounce when playing at home, scoring an average of 44 points per game across that stretch and keeping their opposition scoreless in the opening halves of their last two games in that span.
– South Africa have won their last three Tests on the bounce by an average margin of 29 points per game. The last time they won more successive games was a four-win streak from July to August 2021.
– New Zealand had an average attacking ruck speed of 2.5 seconds in the opening round of the 2023 Rugby Championship, the quickest of any team and nearly a full second per ruck quicker than South Africa.
– South Africa made 12 linebreaks in the openig round of the 2023 Rugby Championship, five more than any other team in the tournament and the first time they made 10+ linebreaks in a game since facing Georgia in July 2021.
– Jordie Barrett (New Zealand) made 12 carries and 13 tackles throughout the opening round of the Rugby Championship. He was the only player to make more than 10 carries and 10 tackles for the round.
– Kurt-Lee Arendse (South Africa) is on a seven-game scoring streak, the joint-longest of any player from a tier 1 nation in the last decade. He has scored 10 tries across that stretch.
Stats via Opta
Photo: EPA/DAVE HUNT
