??? "It's a rivalry we look forward to and the tradition of it is massive"
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 26, 2019
Kieran Read has the final word from Wellington ahead of the blockbuster clash against the Springboks. pic.twitter.com/pfVLL9xCU9
Check out the #Springbok team photo session earlier today in Wellington????@Official_Bozza @MTNza @SuperSportTV @SuperRugby @LandRoverZA @FNBSA #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/JWr9PiB2Et
— Springboks (@Springboks) July 26, 2019
?? It's all about controlled emotion as @duane_vermeulen gets ready to face the @AllBlacks for the first time in four years. #StrongerTogether
— Springboks (@Springboks) July 26, 2019
??https://t.co/ANXmnhxOLI pic.twitter.com/g2lPG3vwKw
MATCH OFFICIALS
The referee is Nic Berry of Australia and this will be his 10th Test match as a referee, but his first involving South Africa.
The assistant referees are Angus Gardner of Australia and Shuhei Kubo of Japan, while England's Rowan Kitt is the television match official (TMO).
MILESTONES AND RECORDS
Tendai Mtawarira is the second most capped Springbok in the Rugby Championship with 51 appearances.
Bryan Habana holds the records with 53 appearances.
Should a successful drop goal be kicked by a Springbok in this Test match, it will be the 30th drop goal against New Zealand in the history of Test match rugby between the two countries.
MISCELLANEOUS
The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 457.
There are 168 caps in the backline with 289 caps among the forwards.
On the bench there are a further 350 caps.- The average number of caps per player in the backline are 24, the forwards 36 while the players on the bench average 44 caps.
The average age of the starting fifteen is 27.
Eben Etzebeth is the third most capped lock with 77 Test matches. Victor Matfield (127) and Bakkies Botha (85) are the most capped locks.
INDIVIDUAL RECORDS AGAINST NEW ZEALAND
Most points: 11 - H Pollard - 15 September 2018
Most tries: 2 - AO Dyantyi - 15 September 2018
Most conversions: 4 - H Pollard - 15 September 2018
Most penalty goals: 1 - By five players
Most drop goals: 1 - WW Greeff –20 July 2002 and H Pollard - 13 September 2014
TEAM RECORDS AGAINST NEW ZEALAND
Most points: 36 - 15 September 2018 (the 36 points conceded by New Zealand were their most ever against any opponent on home soil)
Most tries: 5 - 15 September 2018
Most conversions: 4 - 15 September 2018
Most penalty goals: 1 – On five occasions
Most drop goals: 1 – 20 July 2002 and 13 September 2014
HEAD-TO-HEAD
The Springboks have won 36 of their 98 Tests against the All Blacks for a win percentage 38.65%.Their overall record in New Zealand is obviously less impressive. The Boks have won just 10 of their 44 Tests against the All Blacks in New Zealand.
TEAMS
New Zealand
15 Beauden Barrett; 14 Ben Smith, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Matt Todd, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody
Substitutes: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 18 Angus Ta'avao, 19 Vaea Fifita, 20 Dalton Papalii, 21 Aaron Smith, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 George Bridge
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Francois Louw, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Frans Steyn, 23 Jesse Kriel
WELCOME!
LIVE scoring and interactive commentary on the Rugby Championship Test between New Zealand and South Africa from Wellington.
G'Day and welcome to our live coverage of this Rugby Championship clash between New Zealand and South Africa from Westpac Stadium.
New Zealand defeated Argentina 20-16 in Buenos Aires last week, while South Africa got the better of Australia by 35-17 in Johannesburg. With only one round left, the winner today will go a long way to securing the shortened version of this years Rugby Championship.
Richie Mo’unga will start at fly-half for the All Blacks, while Beauden Barrett shifts to full-back and Ben Smith to the wing. Joe Moody, Codie Taylor and Owen Franks all return to start in the front-row. Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock will start at lock, with Shannon Frizell, Matt Todd and Kieran Read forming the loose-trio. In another interesting move TJ Perenara starts at scrumhalf, while Aaron Smith shifts to the bench. Sonny Bill Williams returns to form the centre partnership with Jack Goodhue.
Team New Zealand: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Matt Todd, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody. Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Ofa Tuungafasi, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Vaea Fifita, 20 Dalton Papalii, 21 Aaron Smith, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 George Bridge.
This week the Springboks will be lead by Duane Vermeulen in a team where coach Rassie Erasmus was always expected to ring the changes. Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit are the only forwards who played against the Wallabies last week, while Makazole Mapimpi is the only surviving back from last week. Willie le Roux starts at full-back, while Cheslin Kolbe will be on the right wing. Damian de Allende and Lukhanyo Am will start at centre with Handré Pollard and Faf de Klerk forming the half-back combination. The loose-trio will be Kwagga Smith, Vermeulen and Du Toit. Franco Mostert starts at lock with Etzebeth. The front-row is made up of in the second-row and Malcolm Marx is joined in the front-row by Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe. They also named a strong bench.
Team South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen (c), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Francois Louw, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Frans Steyn, 23 Jesse Kriel.
Our referee is Nic Berry and he will be assisted by Angus Gardner and Shuhei Kubo. The TMO is Rowan Kitt.