Springboks and All Blacks renew rugby’s greatest rivalry in Johannesburg

The Springboks and All Blacks will meet for the 111th time on Saturday when their four-match Greatest Rivalry series begins in Johannesburg.

Few fixtures in international rugby carry the same history or intensity. The two sides first faced one another more than a century ago, and their latest encounter ended with South Africa recording a commanding 43-10 victory in Wellington in 2025.

The All Blacks lead the overall head-to-head record, having won 63 of the previous 110 Tests. South Africa have claimed 43 victories, while the remaining four matches ended in draws.

A rivalry that began in 1921

The first meeting took place in 1921, when South Africa toured New Zealand for the first time.

That opening series ended level at 1-1. The rivalry began with another drawn series when the teams met again in 1928, seven years later, with honours shared once more.

Since then, the Springboks and All Blacks have built one of the most significant rivalries in world sport, with their contests regularly carrying major consequences for the international rankings, silverware and reputation of both teams.

The next chapter will be written in Johannesburg on Saturday, as the two sides begin a four-match series.

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New Zealand’s biggest scores

The All Blacks’ highest points tally against South Africa is 57.

They reached that mark in a 57-15 victory in Durban in 2016, scoring nine tries in the process. New Zealand matched the total the following year, although the circumstances were even more emphatic.

In Albany in 2017, the All Blacks defeated the Springboks 57-0. The result remains one of the darkest days in South African rugby.

South Africa’s record points haul

The Springboks’ highest score against New Zealand came at Ellis Park on 19 August 2000.

South Africa won a remarkable high-scoring Test 46-40, their biggest points total against the All Blacks. The six tries they scored that day also remain the most the Springboks have produced against New Zealand in a Test match.

The result highlighted the ability of both teams to produce attacking rugby in a rivalry more often associated with defensive pressure and physical confrontation.

World Cup success

The Springboks have won seven of the 10 Rugby World Cups staged so far.

New Zealand’s three titles came in 1987, 2011 and 2015. South Africa lifted the trophy in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023.

The Springboks will therefore be aiming to complete a three-peat at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Their recent success has added another layer to a rivalry already defined by more than 100 years of meetings, closely fought series and landmark results.

Saturday’s contest in Johannesburg will be the 111th Test between the teams, with the All Blacks holding the historical advantage but South Africa arriving as the most recent winners.