New Zealand hold the edge historically, and Dan Carter is ahead of Handré Pollard on individual points scored. But the balance has shifted in recent years.
Bryan Habana is the Springboks’ leading try scorer against the All Blacks, though he could be overtaken by Cheslin Kolbe in this series. Dan Carter (right) is the leading points scorer in the rivalry historically, with 86 more points than South Africa’s best scorer (Handré Pollard). Picture: Photo by Duif du Toit / Gallo Images
South Africa and New Zealand’s rivalry is rugby’s oldest and most storied international fixture, dating back to South Africa’s first tour of New Zealand in 1921.
To date, the two nations have played 110 Tests: New Zealand lead 63 wins to South Africa’s 43, with 4 draws.
In South Africa, where the All Blacks embark on their first full tour of the country in 30 years – in the four-Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series – New Zealand have had the upper hand 28 times, lost to the Springboks 25 times, and had one draw.
However, the rivalry’s balance has tilted dramatically in South Africa’s favour in the last three years.
Springboks getting an edge at home
The Springboks have won seven of the last 10 clashes between the sides, securing them their first back-to-back Rugby Championship titles.
In terms of home games, the Springboks have won four of their last five encounters in South Africa.
Under captain Siya Kolisi and coaches Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks won four consecutive Tests against New Zealand across 2023/24, a sequence last achieved between 1937 and 1949 before the All Blacks snapped the run with a 24-17 win at Eden Park in September last year.
That extended their 51-match unbeaten run at the ground, going back to 1994.
South Africa answered immediately, thrashing New Zealand 43-10 in Wellington a week later – the All Blacks’ heaviest defeat in their history, eclipsing the Springboks’ own previous record of 35-7 set at Twickenham in a 2023 World Cup warm-up.
Only two other results rank among New Zealand’s five worst defeats ever, and South Africa are responsible for three of them.
The All Blacks will see their declining record in South Africa as something to be rectified, their 33 wins, 10 defeats and three draws at home meaning little now.
Dan Carter, Handré Pollard and Bryan Habana key individuals
At neutral venues, the sides have been dead level on points scored across their four meetings.
At Rugby World Cups, the Springboks actually lead the head-to-head 4-2, including the famous 1995 final on home soil and the tense 12-11 win over the All Blacks in the 2023 final in Paris.
Those were the only two times the sides have met in a World Cup decider.
The All Blacks had the edge in other World Cup knockouts: the 2003 quarter-final in Melbourne (29-9) and 2015 semi-final at Twickenham (20-18).
The teams each hold a win over the other in the pool stages.
Individually, the rivalry has produced some of the sport’s greatest players and closest personal duels.
All Black flyhalf Dan Carter remains the fixture’s all-time leading points-scorer with 255 points.
Andrew Mehrtens has 209 points, while South Africa’s best scorer, Handré Pollard has 169 points, and should build on that in this series.
New Zealand’s Christian Cullen has scored 10 tries in the rivalry, South Africa’s Bryan Habana has scored eight. Cheslin Kolbe has seven tries and could overtake Habana.
Springbok centre Damian de Allende and flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit, on 99 and 98 caps respectively, should become South Africa’s 10th and 11th Test centurions during the series.
The first of four Tests between the Springboks and All Blacks over the next month is next Saturday at Ellis Park.
