The All Blacks and Springboks renew their historic rivalry, with recent history firmly favouring South Africa.
Although New Zealand leads the overall rivalry, the Springboks have dominated their latest meetings.
The two nations have faced each other 110 times. New Zealand has won 63 matches, while South Africa has claimed 43 victories. Four encounters ended in draws.
However, those numbers tell only part of the story.
Springboks Have Controlled the Recent Rivalry
Since 2021, the teams have met ten times across major international competitions.
The All Blacks won the opening clash in 2021, edging South Africa 19-17 in Townsville.
However, the Springboks responded immediately. They secured a dramatic 31-29 victory in the second meeting that year.
The sides then split their two matches in 2022.
New Zealand won 35-23 in Johannesburg before South Africa answered with a 26-10 victory in Mbombela.
The rivalry intensified in 2023, producing three memorable encounters.
The All Blacks won 35-20 in Auckland. South Africa then crushed New Zealand 35-7 at Twickenham.
Most importantly, the Springboks edged the All Blacks 12-11 in the Rugby World Cup final.
South Africa continued that dominance in 2024, winning 31-27 in Johannesburg.
Then came another statement victory in 2025.
The Springboks demolished New Zealand 43-10 in Wellington, recording the All Blacks’ biggest-ever Test defeat.
History Says All Blacks, Recent Form Says Springboks
Therefore, the historical record still gives New Zealand the overall advantage.
Yet recent history paints a completely different picture.
South Africa has won six of their last ten meetings, compared with four victories for New Zealand.
Moreover, the Springboks have won five of their last six encounters.
That includes two World Cup victories and their record-breaking 43-10 demolition.
Consequently, the Springboks enter this latest chapter with considerable psychological momentum.
Nevertheless, New Zealand cannot be dismissed.
The All Blacks remain the historical leaders and will believe their rivalry pedigree can inspire another response.
Ultimately, history favours New Zealand overall, but recent history clearly belongs to the Springboks.
The post Springboks vs All Blacks: History Points to a Clear Favourite appeared first on iHarare News.
