JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa and New Zealand fly together to Baltimore on Sunday to conclude their epic rugby test series without key players Cheslin Kolbe and Ardie Savea.
Both suffered series-ending injuries on Saturday as the world champion Springboks beat the All Blacks 29-24 and grabbed a 2-1 lead in the four-test series.
Kolbe, South Africa's flawless goalkicker in the series, broke his jaw when he was run over by Luke Jacobson, and Savea, the All Blacks captain, possibly dislocated his right shoulder in a clearout by Jasper Wiese. Also, New Zealand center Quinn Tupaea damaged his MCL.
Neither team planned to replace them in the squad for the final match next Saturday at the NFL home of the Baltimore Ravens.
Having guided the Springboks into a series lead after losing the first match, coach Rassie Erasmus was relieved.

#series #south #springboks #blacks

South Africa edged another ferocious and bruising clash against New Zealand to win the third Test 29-24 on Saturday and go 2-1 up in the four-Test Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.
Both teams scored ⁠four tries in front of 87,976 fans at Soccer City, with the Springboks coming back after trailing in the first half to add to their narrow success in last weekend's second test in Cape Town.
It ⁠proved another classic contest of Springbok forward power against the All Blacks' pacey passing attack, with New Zealand starting furiously but eventually being ⁠worn down by the physicality of their hosts.
Ardie Savea went off nine minutes before halftime with a shoulder injury in a blow to the tourists and he looks uncertain for the final match, which will be played in Baltimore, in the United States, next Saturday.
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus said: "It was epic and intense, fierce battle in all departments. The scoreboard in the end showed how close it was. Were just happy to win."

#springboks #four #rivalry

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus was looking forward to watching New Zealand counterpart Dave Rennie squirm for the next week after tying their four-test series on Saturday.
The Springboks relied on a masterclass of goalkicking by Cheslin Kolbe — seven from seven off the tee — to win the second test 33-26 after New Zealand outscored them on tries 4-3.
World champion South Africa dropped the first test in Johannesburg and hasn't lost consecutive tests at home on Erasmus' watch — since 2018 — and he was relieved they got back into a series in which they started as the heavy favorite.
"Of course I felt the pressure, and the players will tell you I felt the pressure. I try not to put it on them but I was nervous," Erasmus said.
He noted he and the older Rennie were November babies, both Scorpios, and quipped: "That's why he's able to work me out.

#south #africa #erasmus #series

Captain Siya Kolisi is set to be recalled to the South Africa side bidding to hit back in the second Test against New Zealand, with Handre Pollard preferred to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at fly-half.
The Springboks had a 12-match winning run ended by the All Blacks in a heavy defeat at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, to fall 1-0 behind in the four-match Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.
Kolisi was left out for the opener but is primed to take the place of Paul de Villiers, provided he makes it through training this week. Fellow flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit – who captained in Kolisi's stead in Johannesburg – will win his 100th cap as part of an experienced back row.
Pollard is called in to start at No 10 as Feinberg-Mngomezulu drops to the bench. Scrum-half Grant Williams and wing Cheslin Kolbe are ruled out due to injury, with Cobus Reinach and Ethan Hooker starting.
Kurt-Lee Arendse is cleared to feature in the back three despite an early withdrawal from the 33-16 defeat at Ellis Park.

#ellis #park #match

South Africa and New Zealand collide in the first of four huge Tests in the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.
The All Blacks have won all three of their warm-up games since arriving in South Africa, and now take on a Springboks side that beat them in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final.
Rassie Erasmus' world champions are unbeaten in their last 12 matches and were narrow victors in the pair's last encounter at Ellis Park.
Another blockbuster encounter could be in store as the landmark series launches in style.
Here's everything you need to know.

#south #africa #series

Where to watch South Africa vs. New Zealand live stream, TV channel, start time for international rugby match originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
New Zealand continue their tour of South Africa with a match against the Springboks on Saturday in their toughest test yet.
The All Blacks secured a 50-19 win over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria earlier this week to remain unbeaten on the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour.
They now head to Johannesburg where head coach Dave Rennie will use the past three matches to ******* s his best options to start the first Test against South Africa.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match and start times.

#sporting #start #head

Old foes South Africa and New Zealand collide in a new series in the first "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry" tour.
The Springboks and All Blacks have reached a reciprocal touring agreement that will see the pair clash in a number of Tests every four years.
The first edition sees Dave Rennie's side head for South African soil to take on four United Rugby Championship sides alongside a quartet of clashes with Rassie Erasmus's world champions.
The fourth of those fixtures, which brings together the World Cup finalists from three years ago, will take place in Baltimore on the east coast of the United States.
Here's everything you need to know.

#south #greatest

And so it begins.
Rugby ***** ans South Africa and New Zealand have finally arrived at their long-awaited test series, the culmination of the first full-size tour between them in 30 years.
Both teams just need an injury niggle or two to clear up before they run out on Saturday in the high veld citadel of Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
The odds favor the undisputed two-time world champion Springboks in their first four-test series with the No. 2-ranked All Blacks since 1976.
As Springboks coach or director for eight years, Rassie Erasmus has an 8-6 record against New Zealand, with one draw. It goes against historical records. The All Blacks lead the head to head by 20 wins primarily because the Springboks find it harder to win in New Zealand.

#blacks #first #Rugby

One point.
That is what separated South Africa and New Zealand in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, as the Springboks went back-to-back to become the first nation to win the ***** le four times.
Rassie Erasmus' world champions sit top of the rankings and have won back-to-back Rugby Championships. They are indisputably the game's dominant force.
Their predecessors as rugby union's supreme team were the All Blacks, who won their own back-to-back World Cups, in 2011 and 2015.
The landscape may have changed and their roles may have reversed of late, but they remain the game's most glamourous and marketable teams.

#africa #zealand

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Scrumhalf Noah Hotham will join the All Blacks in South Africa ahead of Saturday's first test as cover for injured halves Cortez Ratima and Cam Roigard.
Ratima suffered a knee injury during New Zealand's most-recent match against the Bulls in Pretoria while Roigard has yet to play on tour because of a calf injury.
Hotham was a contentious omission from the All Blacks' original 44-man touring squad as the selectors opted instead for his Crusaders understudy Kyle Preston.
Prop Ollie Norris also has been ruled out of the tour with a knee cartilage injury. Norris will return to New Zealand, and a prop replacement is set to be named in due course.
The South Africa tour has exacted a heavy injury toll before the first of four test matches between the world champion Springboks and second-ranked All Blacks.

#injury #hotham #south #africa

Old foes South Africa and New Zealand collide in a new series in the first "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry" tour.
The Springboks and All Blacks have reached a reciprocal touring agreement that will see the pair clash in a number of Tests every four years.
The first edition sees Dave Rennie's side head for South African soil to take on four United Rugby Championship sides alongside a quartet of clashes with Rassie Erasmus's world champions.
The fourth of those fixtures, which brings together the World Cup finalists from three years ago, will take place in Baltimore on the east coast of the United States.
Here's everything you need to know.

#World #four #zealand

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — New Zealand's injury toll has worsened on its historic rugby tour of South Africa — and the test series was still a week away.
Winger Caleb Clarke was the third player to be going home after rupturing a shoulder tendon on Tuesday in the 54-0 win against the Sharks in Durban.
The injury required surgery and only then will a timeframe on his recovery be known, the All Blacks said on Friday.
Clarke will not be immediately replaced. Coach Dave Rennie said he was comfortable that their six other outside backs were enough cover, although test regular Will Jordan was a doubt for the first test against the Springboks next week because of a back injury.
"I am gutted to be going home because I've loved my time here so much," Clarke said in a statement.

#africa

Argentina host South Africa in a one-off Test in Buenos Aires as the pair continue a busy period of international action.
The Springboks are gearing up for four clashes with New Zealand in the new "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry" series, but first take on a Pumas team bidding to bounce back from a tough July.
Argentina were beaten by both Scotland and England on home soil, with fly half Tomas Albornoz's misdeeds at the end of that latter defeat leaving him banned for this game.
It makes the task tougher against the world champions, who have again displayed their strength in depth over the last couple of months.
Here's everything you need to know.

#Argentina #south

South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus insists the world champions face a "massive challenge" against Argentina on Saturday despite the recent poor form of their opponents.
The Springboks stretched a winning Test run to 11 matches with home victories over England, Scotland and Wales during July in the inaugural Nations Championship.
Facing the same northen hemisphere teams in South America, the Pumas beat Wales, but lost to Scotland, and England in an ill-tempered clash.
Argentina thought they had scored a late try against England, giving them a chance to draw the Test.
When Australian referee Angus Gardner disallowed it after a lengthy review, Pumas fly-half Tomas Albornoz was furious.

#england

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The Stormers believe they are playing for the future of traditional rugby tours when they give New Zealand the opening challenge of its South Africa trek on Friday.
The All Blacks are undertaking their first tour of tests and provincial games in South Africa in 30 years. The Springboks will repay the visit in New Zealand in 2030 and New Zealand will return in 2034.
But Stormers coach John Dobson said the provincial games will become insignificant if his team plus the Sharks, the Bulls or Lions do not knock off the All Blacks, or are at least competitive.
"When the British and Irish Lions were here in 2021 the situation was far from ideal and the results didn't do justice to the traditional tour concept," Dobson told SuperSport.
"Due to it being played during the time of the COVID pandemic, that Lions tour was an unsatisfactory product. The teams were in a bubble, we had players in quarantine, the games were played in front of empty stadiums. And all the local franchise teams took heavy hidings. The Lions won their games by 60 points or more.

#lions #south

Before the World Cup settled all arguments, rugby's world supremacy was invariably decided between South Africa and New Zealand.
Two former outposts of the British Empire improved the game that England invented, and used rugby to forge their identity and raise their stature on the global stage. The Springboks and All Blacks stopped dancing around each other in 1921 when South Africa arrived in New Zealand by steamship.
For the next 75 years, to the dawn of the professional era, the rugby tours to each other's shores were ******* anic in length and depth, and fervor and controversy.
On the 30th anniversary of the last traditional tour between them, the All Blacks are in South Africa, opening an eight-match, six-week expedition on Friday in Cape Town. They and the Springboks will cross the Atlantic for marketing reasons to play the fourth and final test match in the NFL home of the Baltimore Ravens.
"These are the tours we've only heard of," Boks captain Siya Kolisi said when the tour was announced. "To experience this for the first time ... is unbelievable for us as a group."

#tour #match

Old foes South Africa and New Zealand collide in a new series in the first "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry" tour.
The Springboks and All Blacks have reached a reciprocal touring agreement that will see the pair clash in a number of Tests every four years.
The first edition sees Dave Rennie's side head for South African soil to take on four United Rugby Championship sides alongside a quartet of clashes with Rassie Erasmus's world champions.
The fourth of those fixtures, which brings together the World Cup finalists from three years ago, will take place in Baltimore on the east coast of the United States.
Here's everything you need to know.

#africa

Wales captain Dewi Lake is in danger of missing the Nations Championship fixture against South Africa on Saturday because of a groin injury.
Ryan Elias would be line to start at hooker for Wales with Dragons' Elliot Dee flying to Durban as cover, alongside Gloucester lock Freddie Thomas who has been called in because Taine Plumtree is carrying an injury.
Lake is not going home with the squad being extended to 35 players for the week in South Africa.
Wales have not yet ruled Lake out of facing the Springboks with the Gloucester-bound hooker having been in “light training today”.
“That's a real positive,” said Wales ******* istant coach Danny Wilson.

South Africa have handed chances to four uncapped players as Rassie Erasmus shuffles his pack again for the meeting with Wales.
A heavily-rotated Springboks side made it two wins from two in the Nations Championship as they overcame Scotland in a tough battle in Pretoria, and Erasmus again takes the opportunity to look at the depth of his squad.
20-year-old playmaker Vusi Moyo is given a first opportunity at fly half, with Sharks teammate Jaco Williams installed on the wing for his first cap.
Carlu Sadie, a key figure in Bordeaux Begles’ back-to-back Champions Cup crowns, starts at tighthead, while fellow French-based forward Ruben van Heerden (Montpellier) starts in the second row.
Pieter-Steph du Toit again captains the side with Siya Kolisi not involved.

South Africa and Scotland tussle on the second weekend of the inaugural Nations Championship.
The pair were both opening round winners, with the Springboks putting England away comprehensively and the Scots impressive in beating Argentina.
Gregor Townsend will know his side face a tall task here, though, even with home head coach Rassie Erasmus freshening up his matchday 23.
It is 12 years since Scotland last played the Springboks on South African soil, while they have failed to muster a try in their last two outings against Erasmus's team.
Here's everything you need to know.

Scotland have been boosted by the availability of fly half Finn Russell as they take on world champions South Africa in Pretoria.
Russell missed the win over Argentina with a calf injury but is fit to start at No 10 against the Springboks.
Zander ***** erson and Gregor Brown are promoted into the starting tight five in the other two changes to Gregor Townsend's side, with the Scotland head coach favouring a six forwards to two backs bench split. Jamie Dobie, who starts on the wing, will cover scrum half.
Rory Hutchinson retains his place at outside centre alongside captain Sione Tuipulotu in midfield, with Kyle Rowe again stationed at full-back.
Scotland will take on the Springboks on South African soil for the first time in 12 years as they face a daunting challenge at Loftus Versfeld.

A fifth Test defeat in a row for England and little evidence of the great reset promised ahead of this Nations Championship opener after their humbling Six Nations campaign. South Africa, in what was their first game since last November, ran in seven tries in a statement victory that ramps up the pressure again on Steve Borthwick and leaves so many questions hanging in the air.
England will arrive back in London on Monday morning, with just six days to prepare for the game against Fiji in Liverpool, knowing that another defeat will not be acceptable.
Losing to South Africa at high altitude at Ellis Park, a mile above sea level, is one thing, losing to Fiji on ‘home’ turf in the seaside port would be a different story altogether.
Once again discipline let Borthwick’s side down, just as it did so often during the Six Nations, as they finished the contest with 13 men following yellow cards for Tommy Freeman and Guy Pepper, and South Africa turned the scoreline into the rout they had promised from early in the first half, finishing with tries by Malcolm Marx and Ben-Jason Dixon.
There was a lack of ruthlessness in England’s finishing, too, and at times they were simply out-powered by the relentless physicality of a Springboks side who were playing their first game together since last November. South Africa were easily able to seize on defensive lapses.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) — South Africa tore apart England 45-21 after a stunning three-try blastoff in Nations Championship rugby at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The shock and awe start by the Springboks for a 17-0 lead inside the first 12 minutes gave the double world champions a cushion they rode to their biggest win over England in 18 years.
The English impressively fought back to trail by only three by halftime but they succumbed to South Africa's heavy carries and clinical finishing, and were down to 13 players at fulltime.
England was barely sweating when Boks fullback Damian Willemse charged the tryline and prop Thomas du Toit burrowed over. A Willemse chip and catch was followed by prop Ox Nche shrugging off England's Ollie Chessum and Jamie George and shooting away for Cheslin Kolbe to cross in the right corner. Kolbe converted his try.
Nche left injured and moments later Kurt-Lee Arendse swept past Marcus Smith and went over in the left corner. Three entries into the England 22 and three tries.

Full-back George Furbank has been ruled out of England's Nations Championship opener against South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday with appendicitis.
Furbank, 29, had been preparing for his first England game in nearly two years before falling ill on Friday evening.
Marcus Smith has replaced him at 15, with Henry Slade stepping up to the bench.
Steve Borthwick's side face the world champion Springboks at 16:40 BST at the iconic Ellis park in Johannesburg.
Furbank's inclusion had been one of the main talking points from Thursday's team announcement.

South Africa and England collide on the opening weekend of the inaugural Nations Championship in a mighty meeting at Ellis Park.
Steve Borthwick’s side face a gruelling itinerary over the next three weeks as they play in Johannesburg, Liverpool and Santiago del Estero bidding to put their worst-ever Six Nations behind them.
It is a daunting start to their summer campaign after four successive defeats, with the world champion Springboks fully loaded for their arrival.
Rassie Erasmus’s squad worked off some rust in a fixture against the Barbarians and may just be looking to make a statement in their first meeting with England since November 2024.
Here’s everything you need to know.

Finn Russell will not feature in Scotland's opening Nations Championship match of the summer series but could feature against South Africa, says head coach Gregor Townsend, who welcomes back Jonny Gray.
Fly-half Russell, 33, has not fully recovered from the calf injury that kept him out of the latter part of Bath's domestic campaign and was not considered for the match at Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Cordoba on Saturday (20:10 BST). The Scots face the Springboks in Pretoria on 11 July then Fiji at Murrayfield on 18 July.
Tom Jordan starts at 10 in Russell's absence, with Fergus Burke among the replacements.
Gray returns against the Pumas, having missed this year's Six Nations, while fellow lock Scott ***** s, 29, and prop Pierre Schoeman, 32, will win their 50th caps.
"Great for [Jonny Gray] to be back in the squad," said Townsend. "Since his move to Perpignan, he's played very well so his form's been rewarded with this opportunity. It's nice obviously nice that him and Scott ***** s are playing together.

Manie Libbok will start in place of the injured Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at fly-half for South Africa against England after the Springboks named their team more than five days before Saturday's kick-off.
Libbok sees off competition from Handre Pollard, who started the Boks' Rugby World Cup final wins in 2019 and 2023, to take the 10 shirt in a formidable side.
Libbok's inclusion is one of four changes to the South Africa side that beat Ireland 24-13 in November in their most recent full-strength run-out.
Grant Williams comes in at scrum-half, while Kurt-Lee Arendse, another dangerous runner, is back on the wing.
Ox Nche is at loosehead with Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit, who is on his way to the Sharks from Bath this summer, completing the front row.

Eben Etzebeth will make an instant return to the South Africa starting side against England after suspension, with Manie Libbok trusted by the Springboks at fly half.
Etzebeth was handed a long ban after being sent for an eye gouge in his last Test against Wales, and has featured only once since for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship.
But Rassie Erasmus has immediately thrown his most-capped player back into the second row alongside Ruan Nortje as South Africa begin their Nations Championship campaign in Johannesburg.
With Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu sidelined by injury, Libbok is preferred to Handre Pollard at fly half, while Cheslin Kolbe and Damian Willemse win their 50th caps in the back three.
Siya Kolisi captains a familiar-looking side full of World Cup winners with Erasmus looking forward to an encounter with an England side arriving at Ellis Park on a run of four consecutive Six Nations defeats.

Benhard Janse van Rensburg's enthusiasm and energy have won over his new England team-mates, says George Ford.
Janse van Rensburg, 29, was born in South Africa and appeared for the Springboks under-20 side, but, after a Rugby Football Union appeal to World Rugby over his eligibility, will qualify to play Test rugby for England in July after five years in the country.
He has been named on the bench for England's non-cap fixture against a France XV in Vannes on Friday.
"He's been brilliant, he's like an excitable kid," said Ford, who will captain England in the match.
"He's got so much energy and you can tell he's just obsessed with playing rugby.

Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe and Wales hooker Elliot Dee will start for the Barbarians in Saturday's fixture against South Africa (14:00 BST).
Van der Merwe features in the game against the Springboks before linking up with Gregor Townsend's squad for the Nations Championship.
Dragons hooker Dee, who has won 56 caps, missed out on selection in Steve Tandy's squad for the summer.
The pair are in a Baa-Baas side that is captained by New Zealand scrum-half TJ Perenara and includes Argentina fly-half Tomas Albornoz.
Edinburgh's D'Arcy Rae and Liam McConnell, who are also in Scotland's summer squad, feature along with Munster centre Alex Nakivell.