All you need to know: All Blacks vs Springboks - Rugby Championship, Round 1

6 days ago 50

ALL BLACKS

Caleb Clarke has been recalled to the All Blacks squad to look the Springboks.

The 3 weeks since the 3rd Ireland trial person astir apt felt similar 3 months for the All Blacks.

Since creating an unwanted portion of past successful losing that series-deciding contention successful Wellington, each they would person wanted was to get backmost connected the parkland and person a accidental to crook this catastrophe around.

Well, now, aft unit mounting to never-before-seen levels connected the team, and manager Ian Foster, who is clinging to his occupation aft seeing a mates of his assistants retired the door, they get astatine their adjacent assignment.

But it is simply a gigantic one, the men successful achromatic opening their Rugby Championship run with back-to-back clashes against their top rivals, the Springboks, successful the South Africans’ backyard.

Talk astir nary let-up with the ft already connected the throat, and successful information the All Blacks participate this weekend’s trial having opened arsenic underdogs astatine the New Zealand TAB for the archetypal clip successful 13 years, and conscionable the 4th clip successful the past of sports betting successful the country.

The different 3 occasions were besides tests against the Boks successful the republic. The results? Three losses. Can the All Blacks re-write the past books this clip out, oregon is this situation conscionable going to beryllium excessively insurmountable for a squad massively nether the cosh?

All Black Ardie Savea against South Africa past year.

THE GAME

Rugby Championship, Rd 1: Springboks v All Blacks

Where: Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela

When: Sunday, August 7, 3.05am (NZ time)

Live coverage: Sky Sport 1, unrecorded updates connected Stuff

THE TEAMS

All Blacks: Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (c), Akira Ioane, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Angus Ta'avao, Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Bower. Reserves: Dane Coles, Ethan de Groot, Tyrel Lomax, Tupou Vaa'i, Shannon Frizell, Finlay Christie, Richie Mo'unga, Quinn Tupaea.

Springboks: Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Trevor Nyakane. Reserves: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Salmaan Moerat, Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith, Jaden Hendrikse, Willie le Roux.