Boks against All Blacks at Eden Park is ‘biggest game since world cup final’
The rugby rivalry between South Africa and New Zealand will continue at Eden Park in Auckland next Saturday.
Next Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test at Eden Park against the All Blacks will be the biggest match for the Springboks since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final in Paris, according to Bok assistant coach Tony Brown.
The born-New Zealander, who played 18 Tests for the All Blacks, joined the Boks’ coaching staff after the 2023 triumph, a match won 12-11 by the Springboks, against the All Blacks, at the Stade de France.
While the teams have met since that day in October 2023, in South Africa in last year’s Rugby Championship, and both matches being won by the Boks (31-17 in Joburg and 18-12 in Cape Town), this will be the first meeting again on New Zealand soil since 15 July 2023.
On that occasion, the All Blacks beat the Boks 35-20 at the Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland.
The Boks’ last outing at Eden Park was in 2013, a match won 29-15 by New Zealand.
‘Amazing opportunity’
“It’s probably the biggest game since the Rugby World Cup final,” said Brown today, just days after the Boks arrived in Auckland. The match is next Saturday, at 09:05 (SA time).
“The players are excited. The All Blacks will be desperate to win, the Springboks are desperate to win, so it should make for an amazing game.
“There’s excitement in camp, the Eden Park record is on the line, and it’s an amazing opportunity for us to take on this challenge against a tough All Blacks team.”
‘Make a push here in New Zealand’
Brown said the Boks players were settling in after a long flight from South Africa but there was plenty of excitement about being in New Zealand.
“The first couple of days after travelling are about recovery. In the next few days we have to make sure we prepare well and put our best foot forward. We’re going to have to play as hard as we can to try win the game.
“Every test is important, and the Rugby Championship will always come down to one or two games.
“Hopefully we can win the key ones, and make a push here in New Zealand, so we can go back to South Africa with some points on the board.”
Following the Eden Park match, the teams will square off again in Wellington on September 13 and then the Boks will return home to take on Argentina. They finish their Rugby Championship with a return match against the Pumas, to be played in London.
This article first appeared in The Citizen.
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