Springbok Damian de Allende will hit 100 caps for the Springboks, but the double World Cup winner’s milestone almost went unnoticed as coach Rassie Erasmus named a formidable side to face the All Blacks in the first test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry at Ellis Park on Saturday night.
De Allende’s milestone passed with few comments - pretty much like the understated workrate of the midfielder himself - as more focus went on some of the selections for the game, which will kick off the first of four tests between the two sides.
De Allende becomes the 10th Springbok to get to the milestone, as Pieter-Steph du Toit captains the side in the absence of Siya Kolisi, with Paul de Villiers playing his fourth test for the Boks against the old foe.
Damian de Allende will join the list of Springbok centurions this weekend 💯🇿🇦
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 20, 2026
An incredible 12 years and counting since that debut at Loftus against Argentina in 2014 📈#SSRugby | #RugbysGreatestRivalry pic.twitter.com/EpbE7KtXgd
Wilco Louw won the battle to partner Malcolm Marx in the front row, with Ox Nche returning to the starting line-up for a formidable, battle-hungry front row while the Boks’ most-capped player, Eben Etzebeth partners Ruan Nortje to complete the tight five.
De Villiers slots in with Du Toit and powerhouse Jasper Wiese in the loose forwards.
High praise from Rassie Erasmus on Paul de Villiers who wears the six jersey on Saturday.
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 20, 2026
🗣️ "He's the kind of player that is above average in most areas with three or four areas where he is world class."#SSRugby | #RugbysGreatestRivalry pic.twitter.com/PRgzeqKoql
SFM SELECTION A SURPRISE
Most of the selection was focused on Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who made the grade ahead of Manie Libbok and Handre Pollard, despite having the least amount of game time between the three flyhalves and looking rusty recently in the game against Argentina.
Erasmus explained that fans shouldn’t see it in isolation, as the four-test series meant that more than just frontline players will need to be employed in the next four weeks.
“Sascha has done wonderful things for us when he's played for us. He was the flyer for us last year when we beat them in Wellington. Cobus (Reinach) and Grant (Williams) are the top two nines at the moment.
“We don't always put combinations first, because Cobus and Sacha play together at the Stormers, but we look at which player understands what we're trying to do and which player trained the best.
COMPETITION AROUND SCRUMHALVES
And then, obviously, the players on the other side, are helping the guys to prepare as well as they can. So, it's always a tough call between Manie, Handre and Sacha. It's tough between Krappies (Morne van den Berg), Cobus and Grant.
“And even Herschel is really training really, really well. We firmly believe, from our experience from the Lions series, and when I played in my younger days where you go for four weeks to New Zealand, the series will probably be won in match three or four.
“Obviously, if you win the first match, you're in a better state or a better chance of winning it, because you just have to win another one and then you can't lose it. But the decider will always be match three. So, keeping everybody involved, everybody excited to play.
“And then, when the next guy gets his chance, he plays. So, it was tough, you know, touch and go. Who should play and who should not play. But in our squad, we like to rotate. And hopefully, if things go our way on Saturday, we can make a few changes next week.”
Erasmus said that while Franco Mostert and Lood de Jager were both fit, they lost out on selection on match sharpness, and would be seen later in the series.
“Yes, Sous (Mostert) is definitely a bit undercooked. You know, he hasn't played, if you look at his minutes in the last six weeks, he has only played four minutes. He got injured really early.
“Lood struggled a hell of a lot of different injuries in the last seven, eight months. And he only got about 40 minutes versus Argentina. So, we're trying - all our S&C (strength and conditioning) coaches - are doing a lot of work with those guys to get them up to match fitness.
𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: Rassie Erasmus names his Springbok team to face the All Blacks in Test one of #RugbysGreatestRivalry at Ellis Park, with Doogz set for his 100th cap in the Green and Gold 🇿🇦🚨 pic.twitter.com/aQPlfLvFGC
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 20, 2026
SERIES WILL BE SETTLED LATER
“This game, which is going to get played on Saturday, is definitely not the game that will determine it. We've seen it in the Lions series. We've seen it many times in World Cup pools. We lose a pool game. It is who's still standing and how many men you've still got fit and ready to go when it gets to Soweto. And then, eventually, to Baltimore.
“So, we see this as the same. Siya (Kolisi) probably could have played, but risking him this weekend and then you get to match three of the series and then you have a lot of walking wounded doesn’t make sense. That's definitely the thought process.”
At the back, the midfield of De Allende and Jesse Kriel gets another run, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe are obvious choices at wing, and Damian Willemse at fullback.
The bench sees Jan-Hendrik Wessels cover hooker, although the Boks have Marco van Staden there as well.
The only two players who retain their places in the starting XV from the Argentina test – which the Boks won 17-10 – are Eben Etzebeth (lock) and Feinberg-Mngomezulu (flyhalf).
A further seven players from the clash in Buenos Aires – Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese (all utility forwards), Gerhard Steenekamp, Zachary Porthen (both props), Andre Esterhuizen (flanker and centre), and Cobus Reinach (scrumhalf) – have been included on the bench.
EXPECTING ALL BLACKS TO PLAY FAST
Erasmus said he expected a fast, multi-phased match from New Zealand as they had been preaching this for
“Yeah, I mean, they say it all the time. So it's not a secret. I mean, they can't go away from what they're saying now because what they're saying on social media and what they're saying at press conferences, they're going to play an intense, fast game and people must try to keep up with them.
“And that shows in the stats. They've probably doubled the breakdowns, doubled the passes that they had in the Razor's era. That's the way they want to play.
“They want to run you off your feet and make sure that they win their breakdown ball lightning quick, whatever it takes at that breakdown. And those are the things we'll have to counter. But then, obviously, we have the ball sometimes.
“We have to try and imprint our attacking style on the game. So I think there's so many challenges in the game. Individuals, tactics, set phases, kicking game, loose open running game, breakdown pressure.
“I think it's such a close contest. I mean, I don't think Dave can tell you who's going to win on Saturday. And I certainly can't tell you who's going to win on Saturday.”
The match kicks off at 5:10pm and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
SPRINGBOK TEAM TO FACE NEW ZEALAND IN JOHANNESBURG:
15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 52 caps, 76 pts (8t, 9c, 4p, 2dg)
14 Cheslin Kolbe (DHL Stormers) – 50 caps, 131 pts (22t, 3c, 5p)
13 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 90 caps, 115 pts (23t)
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 99 caps, 55 pts (11t)
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Mitsubishi Dynaboars) – 32 caps, 125 pts (25t)
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 20 caps, 177 pts (9t, 45c, 14p)
9 Grant Williams (Kobe Steelers) – 30 caps, 40 pts (8t)
8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 46 caps, 20 pts (4t)
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain, Toyota Verblitz) – 98 caps, 70 pts (14t)
6 Paul de Villiers (DHL Stormers) – 3 cap, 5 pts (1t)
5 Ruan Nortje (Kubota Spears) - 20 caps, 5 pts (1t)
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 142 caps, 45 pts (9t)
3 Wilco Louw (DHL Stormers) – 31 caps, 10 pts (2t)
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 89 caps, 135 pts (27t)
1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 48 caps, 0 pts
REPLACEMENTS
16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 13 caps, 10 pts (2t)
17 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 19 caps, 10 pts (2t)
18 Zachary Porthen (DHL Stormers) – 6 caps, 5 pts (1t)
19 Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls) – 5 caps, 0 pts
20 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 31 caps, 25 pts (5t)
21 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 36 caps, 20 pts (4t)
22 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 53 caps, 100 pts (20t)
23 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 30 caps, 147 pts (2t, 49c, 13p)
STATS & FACTS
Springbok record against New Zealand:
Played: 110, Won: 43, Lost: 63, Drawn: 4. Points for: 1 850; Points against: 2 269; Tries scored: 181; Tries conceded: 248. Win per cent: 39 per cent.
Miscellaneous:
- Damian de Allende will become only the 10th player in Springbok history to feature in 100 tests on Saturday after making his international debut against Argentina in 2014.
- Pieter-Steph du Toit, who will lead the team in his fourth test this season, requires only one more appearance after this match to join the exclusive club of Springbok centurions, with the flanker running out in his 99th test match this weekend.
- Prop Ox Nche will feature in his 49th test match, leaving him only one match short of earning 50 test matches, while Jasper Wiese requires only three more test caps to earn his 50th cap.
- Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as the most capped Springbok player of all time to 143 caps when he takes the field.
- Manie Libbok requires only three more points to earn 150 international points.
- The Castle Lager Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series marks the first time since 1996 that the All Blacks have embarked on a traditional rugby tour to South Africa.
- The last time the Springboks met the All Blacks in Johannesburg was in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship in 2024, with the Boks winning that match by 31-27.
- The Springboks have won five of the last six matches between the teams dating back to August 2023, which included the Rugby World Cup final in France that same year.
- The total test caps in the Springbok starting line-up is 850. There are 373 caps in the backline, with 477 caps among the forwards. On the bench, there are a further 193 caps.
- The average caps per player in the backline is 53, the forwards 60, while the players on the bench average 24.