Has South Africa already won Rugby's Greatest Rivalry?

The Springboks leave home 2–1 up after three extraordinary Tests against the All Blacks — but there's still the small matter of a fourth match in… Baltimore.

Xola Ntshinga and Simnikiwe Xabanisa are joined by Westley Cockrell, better known as Rugby-kaans, to talk about a series that has become about much more than results.

Westley explains how Rugby-kaans began, why his wonderfully unfiltered Afrikaans match reactions connected with supporters and how rugby content unexpectedly became his full-time career. His online persona isn't entirely an act either: he tells Xola and Sim that what viewers see is essentially his genuine rugby-watching personality with a little extra volume.

Then it's rugby.

Why has this series captured South Africa in a way few tours have? Has Rassie created another generation of Bok heroes? Why does he reward players with that indefinable “dog” in them? Who have been the great surprise Springboks of the Erasmus era? And have we historically overlooked brilliant smaller players?

Finally: Baltimore.

Westley believes the South African series was won 2–1 and Baltimore should probably have been an exhibition. Sim largely agrees — but Rassie's near-full-strength selection suggests the Springboks themselves have absolutely no intention of treating it that way.

So now there's only one thing to do.

Make it 3–1.

That Rugby Union Show with Xola Ntshinga and Simnikiwe Xabanisa.

And if you don’t know… now you know.

The Springboks have beaten the All Blacks 29–24 at FNB Stadium — and somehow this extraordinary series has produced another classic.

New Zealand started at frightening speed. The Boks lost Cheslin Kolbe early. The All Blacks threatened from everywhere. But South Africa stayed alive, turned the screw at scrum time and eventually found the tries they had been missing in the second halves of the first two Tests.

Xola Ntshinga and Simnikiwe Xabanisa unpack the match: the Bok scrum, the penalty try, Will Jordan’s brilliance, Jesse Kriel’s immediate response, Malcolm Marx and the rolling maul, Manie Libbok’s impact and another performance from Ethan Hooker that suggests the youngster is very much at home in Test rugby.

And then there’s Baltimore.

The two teams now head to the United States for one final collision — with injuries mounting, selection questions everywhere and a wonderfully stupid argument waiting for us if New Zealand make it 2–2:

Who actually won the series?

That Rugby Union Show. Rugby. Unfiltered.

The series is level at 1–1. Now the Springboks and All Blacks head to FNB Stadium for a third Test that could change the complexion of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry completely.

Xola Ntshinga and Simnikiwe Xabanisa look beyond a week dominated by the war of words between Rassie Erasmus and Dave Rennie and get into the rugby.

Has the scrum controversy become a tactical attempt to influence how the game is refereed? Has World Rugby's restricted communication between coaches and officials helped create the public battles we're now seeing?

Then it's onto the teams.

South Africa have largely backed continuity, with Cheslin Kolbe moving to fullback and Kurt-Lee Arendse returning, while Ethan Hooker's performances are making him increasingly difficult to leave out.

New Zealand have taken a different approach, refreshing their forward pack with mobility and ball carrying in mind.

It's heavyweight power against tempo. Continuity against squad rotation. And with the series poised at 1–1, the psychological pressure is beginning to rise.

Who blinks first at FNB Stadium?

That Rugby Union Show with Xola Ntshinga and Simnikiwe Xabanisa.

#Springboks #AllBlacks #Rugby #ThatRugbyUnionShow