The Springboks return to Eden Park next weekend for the first time in 12 years in search of an historic victory at the All Blacks’ spiritual home.
Rassie Erasmus and his charges touched down in Auckland earlier this week and have begun preparations for the September 6th round three Rugby Championship fixture, with the two nations meeting again in Wellington in round four on September 13th.
The Springboks will be eager to end the All Blacks’ 50-game unbeaten run at the venue, which stretches all the way back to 1994 and includes four wins and a draw versus South Africa.
All Blacks’ insane Auckland record
While New Zealand boast a 76.7% win rate across all Test matches, their record at Eden Park sits at a staggering 86% as they have won 80 of their 93 Tests at the ground.
Remarkably, 208 All Blacks players remained unbeaten at Eden Park during the 50-game period, while 461 rival internationals endured defeat there.
Meanwhile, the Boks have suffered two 20-point defeats at the venue in the last 30 years but were one of only two teams – along with the 2017 British and Irish Lions – to leave the stadium without a defeat, playing out an 18-all stalemate in the first game at Eden Park after the All Blacks lost to France in 1994.
Overall, South Africa won just twice in their 10 encounters with New Zealand at the ground. The Boks won the first fixture between the two nations at the All Blacks’ fortress back in 1921, claiming a 9-5 victory. They then went back-to-back by downing New Zealand 17-6 in 1937.
However, they failed to beat the men in black in the next eight meetings, including falling to 20-point defeats in 1997 and 2010.
In numbers: The All Blacks’ INSANE 50 game unbeaten run at Eden Park since 1994
Speaking ahead of the latest clash, former All Blacks fly-half Tony Brown, who is the Springboks’ attack coach, described the game as the biggest since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, which South Africa won 12-11.
“It’s probably the biggest game since the Rugby World Cup final, so the players are excited,” Brown said.
“The All Blacks are going to be desperate to win, Springboks are going to be desperate to win – so it should make for an amazing game.”
South Africa also head into the fixture on a four-game winning streak over the All Blacks, holding them to 12 points or fewer in three of those wins; indeed, only once have they enjoyed a longer run of consecutive wins against the All Blacks (six games from 1937 to 1949).
However, the All Blacks have won nine of their last 11 men’s Tests against South Africa in New Zealand (D1 L1), holding the Springboks to 20 points or fewer in all but one of those games.
In fact, they are unbeaten against the Springboks in Auckland since 1937, picking up nine wins and one draw against them there. Aside from the eight matches at Eden Park, it also includes the record-breaking 57-0 Rugby Championship win at North Harbour in 2017 and the 35-20 victory at Mount Smart Stadium in 2023.
Springboks’ results at Eden Park
1921: All Blacks 5-9 Springboks
1937: All Blacks 6-17 Springboks
1956: All Blacks 5-11 Springboks
1965: All Blacks 20-3 Springboks
1981: All Blacks 25-22 Springboks
1994: All Blacks 18-18 Springboks
1997: All Blacks 55-35 Springboks
2001: All Blacks 26-15 Springboks
2010: All Blacks 32-12 Springboks
2013: All Blacks 29-15 Springboks
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