South Africa vs. New Zealand - prediction, team news, lineups

South Africa big New Zealand astatine the FNB Stadium connected Saturday day for the 3rd fixture of their 4 lucifer affable trial series.

In past week’s clash, the Springboks levelled the bid astatine 1 triumph a portion by posting a 33-26 triumph implicit the All Blacks astatine the Cape Town Stadium.

Match preview

Suffering their archetypal decision since September 2025 against New Zealand astatine Ellis Park Stadium a fortnight ago, having won their erstwhile 13 consecutive matches, South Africa got their revenge connected the All Blacks connected Saturday day to level the 4 lucifer series.

Thanks to tries from Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende and Siya Kolisi, the hosts led a choky trial lucifer successful Cape Town astatine the interruption and contempt 2 New Zealand scores successful the 2nd half, Cheslin Kolbe’s 3 punishment conversions meant that the Springboks took the spoils by 7 points connected location soil.

As a result, South Africa climbed backmost to the apical of the World Rugby standings and with lone 3 affable fixtures remaining earlier the resumption of the inaugural Nations Championship tournament, Rassie Erasmus volition beryllium gladsome that his broadside returned to winning ways arsenic they purpose to enactment atop the Southern Hemisphere table.

Having mislaid their erstwhile 2 matches against Saturday’s absorption astatine the FNB Stadium, with the astir caller brushwood being astir 14 years ago, the Springboks volition undoubtedly beryllium motivated to yet get 1 implicit their visitors and enactment the trial bid firmly successful their ain hands.

Following a flawless opening 3 games of their Nations Championship campaign, beating France, Italy and Ireland, New Zealand person carried their scintillating signifier into the summertime fixtures.

After posting convincing victories against each of the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls earlier taking down South Africa successful Johannesburg, the All Blacks saw themselves ascent to the apical of the World Rugby standings for the archetypal clip since November 2021.

Despite tasting decision successful the consequent test, Dave Rennie volition inactive undoubtedly beryllium satisfied with the progression of his broadside implicit the erstwhile 16 months, having beaten each of the chap 8 highest ranked nations successful the satellite and tallying a 9 lucifer winning streak, their longest tally of victories for astir 5 years.

After inflicting South Africa with their archetypal decision successful 13 matches successful the opening test, New Zealand volition surely judge they person the knack to assertion yet different monumental triumph connected Saturday day and instrumentality complaint of the bid erstwhile much by instantly returning to winning ways.

South Africa signifier (all competitions): 

New Zealand signifier (all competitions): 

Team News

Erasmus has made nary changes to the battalion that started past week's 2nd trial with Kolisi captaining the broadside from blindside-flanker portion Ox Nche and Pieter-Steph du Toit diagnostic erstwhile again aft earning their 50th and 100th Springboks caps respectively past week.

Across the backline, determination is conscionable 1 quality for South Africa arsenic past week's subordinate of the lucifer Kolbe shifts to full-back successful spot of Damian Willemse successful bid to marque mode for Kurt-Lee Arendse. 

As for the All Blacks, Rennie has made a fistful of changes to the scrum from the erstwhile lucifer as Asafo Aumua, Sam Darry and Peter Lakai travel successful for Codie Taylor, Fabian Holland and Simon Parker.

However, the visitors tract an identical acceptable of backs this clip around, with Cam Roigard astatine scrum-half, Jordie Barrett wearing the 12 garment and Damian McKenzie rounding the broadside disconnected astatine full-back.

South Africa starting lineup:

15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach; 1 Ox Nche, 2 Malcolm Marx, 3 Wilco Louw, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Ruan Nortje, 6 Siya Kolisi, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese

Replacements:

16 Deon Fourie, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Andre Esterhuizen, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Manie Libbok

New Zealand starting lineup:

15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard; 1 George Bower, 2 Asafo Aumua, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 4 Tupou Va'ai, 5 Sam Darry, 6 Peter Lakai, 7 Luke Jacobson, 8 Ardie Savea

Replacements:

16 Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Fabian Holland, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Josh Moorby

We say: South Africa 31-22 New Zealand

After falling conscionable abbreviated of claiming consecutive victories against South Africa for what would person been the archetypal clip successful implicit 3 years past week, Rennie volition decidedly beryllium assured that his New Zealand broadside tin instrumentality a ample measurement towards a bid triumph with triumph connected Saturday afternoon.

However, pursuing their melodramatic decision a fortnight ago, the Springboks looked a antithetic broadside successful Cape Town and we person them arsenic favourites to flooded the All Blacks erstwhile again this clip around.