{"id":569024,"date":"2026-08-14T17:50:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T17:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/569024\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T17:50:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T17:50:10","slug":"bulls-v-all-blacks-prediction-greatest-rivalry-theme-to-continue-at-loftus-versfeld","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/569024\/","title":{"rendered":"Bulls v All Blacks prediction: Greatest Rivalry theme to continue at Loftus Versfeld"},"content":{"rendered":"

The All Blacks face the Bulls<\/a> at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening in what will be their final tour match before Rugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry Tests against the Springboks.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the fifth time that the men from Pretoria will face New Zealand since their first encounter back in 1949, with the All Blacks coming out on top on three occasions. The Bulls\u2019 lone victory came in 1976 with Northern Transvaal edging the tourists 29-27.<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s encounter will mark the 50th anniversary, almost to the day, of that famous result as Johan Ackermann\u2019s charges aim to replicate that victory.<\/p>\n

Dave Rennie has made sweeping changes for the clash, providing one last chance for several players to stake their claim for a spot in the matchday 23 to face the Springboks, with the All Blacks boss admitting that players can secure their place through their performances on Saturday at Loftus.<\/p>\n

New Zealand<\/a> were made to work hard in their opening tour<\/a> match against the Stormers, securing a 38-21 victory before having a far simpler task of defeating a Springboks-shorn Sharks team in Durban, rampaging their way to a 54-0 win.<\/p>\n

However, the All Blacks can expect another stern challenge against the Bulls<\/a> at Loftus Versfeld, with Ackermann naming a strong team bolstered by six Springboks, four of whom are included in the starting XV.<\/p>\n

Where the game will be won<\/p>\n

As much as the Bulls pose a different threat to that of the Stormers and Sharks, their strengths are the same as other South African teams: the set-pieces and gain-line. Even without many of their frontline Springboks players, the Bulls have the talent in the front-row to challenge the All Blacks as well as the heft to get over the advantage line.<\/p>\n

Tighthead prop Francois Klopper enjoyed a fine run of form in the latter stages of the United Rugby Championship \u2013 so much so that he usurped Wilco Louw for the starting role in the knockout matches of the competition. Juann Else and Alu Tshakweni featured less prominently for the Bulls throughout the season, but the duo are powerful front-rowers who will certainly ask questions of the All Blacks forwards.<\/p>\n

The Bulls have also bolstered their pack with the signing of Hanro Liebenberg, who marks his return to the blue jersey against New Zealand after a successful spell in England with Leicester Tigers. Liebenberg is renowned for his incredible work rate as well as his lineout excellence \u2013 those attributes will be crucial against Rennie\u2019s charges.<\/p>\n

Much has been made about the All Blacks wanting to speed up the pace of the game, and they will be hoping that referee Nika Amashukeli allows them to lift the tempo against the Bulls, who are still in pre-season. There is a sign above the tunnel leading to the field that reads \u2018Altitude. 1,350m. It matters\u2019, and while many believe it is advantageous for the South Africans, both teams play in the same conditions, and the All Blacks will view their conditioning and match-readiness as a point of difference, and rightly so.<\/p>\n

While that will be the case, Rennie\u2019s charges will still need to be accurate at lineout time, get parity or dominance in the scrums, and remain disciplined \u2013 which was an issue in Cape Town and during the Nations Championship.<\/p>\n

Rugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry: Ranking the top 10 players so far as \u2018truly remarkable\u2019 Springboks veteran edges Jordie Barrett at the summit<\/a><\/p>\n

What they said<\/p>\n

This pre-season has been the first real opportunity where Ackermann can really stamp his mark on the side, having made changes to his coaching team in December and having had control over the players he has wanted to sign.<\/p>\n

Four of his new additions have been included in the matchday 23 for the clash against the All Blacks, namely flank Liebenberg, wing Thaakir Abrahams, utility back Hakeem Kunene and fly-half Curwin Bosch.<\/p>\n

Speaking ahead of the fixture, Ackermann hailed the impact the new arrivals have had in Pretoria.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrilliant! All four of them have been amazing,\u201d he raved to reporters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve settled in with the team, they\u2019ve contributed, and you can see they\u2019ve been around the block. They\u2019re easy to coach and bring a lot of experience into our camp, culture and character so I\u2019m looking forward to see how they\u2019re going to play, but also gel with the team during the season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s showdown is a homecoming of sorts for two-Test Bok Bosch, who enjoyed a two-year stint in Brive after playing all of his rugby before then at the Sharks. The 29-year-old says that his time in France has rejuvenated him as he still harbours hopes of adding to his pair of appearances for the Springboks.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne hundred percent,\u201d he told the Bulls\u2019 official website. \u201cThe day those ambitions go away, I\u2019ll stop playing rugby.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t really matter what you say. It\u2019s what you produce on the field. Those actions will speak for everything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cI\u2019m older and more experienced now. I\u2019m looking forward to testing myself again against the best teams in the world. I just want to be the best version of myself on the rugby field. The freedom and the knowledge I\u2019ve gained over the last two years can only be beneficial to the Vodacom Bulls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, All Blacks boss Rennie has confirmed that spots in the Test team to face the Springboks are still up for grabs against the Bulls.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe side we\u2019re playing against the Bulls will be quite different to the first Test team, but I think there\u2019ll be a number of guys against the Bulls who will back up again. It\u2019d be nice to have a full seven days in preparation; well, we\u2019re getting closer, as I\u2019ve mentioned, you look at our wingers; there are some tough decisions there as well,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo that\u2019s what you want. It\u2019s the job of the players playing this weekend to apply pressure on us through performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cYou always go into it, and we have already got a group of guys in mind, but there\u2019s a number of spots where performances this weekend could tilt our thinking \u2013 so it\u2019s really positive.\u201d<\/p>\n

The All Blacks\u2019 \u2018point of difference\u2019 under Dave Rennie: \u2018We\u2019re better than even the French\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

Players to watch<\/p>\n

The new arrivals at the Bulls are stealing the spotlight, but Jeandre Rudolph will be a serious threat to the All Blacks. These tour matches provide an amazing opportunity for many players who may never play international rugby to face Test opposition. The 32-year-old was a standout for the Pretoria-based club last season but due to the incredible depth that Rassie Erasmus has in the loose forwards, he looks unlikely to ever get an opportunity to don the Green and Gold. Still, his relentless work-rate, strong ball carrying and ability at the breakdown will cause the All Blacks headaches.<\/p>\n

With Handre Pollard away with the Springboks, Curwin Bosch gets the chance to debut for the Bulls. An incredibly talented player, Bosch has struggled to really live up to his potential in South Africa, but perhaps his stint in France will help him buck that trend. The Bulls struggled with fly-half cover last season when Pollard was away and after the injury to Johan Goosen, making the addition of Bosch necessary. However, the 29-year-old could be precisely what the men in blue need to spark their attack, which has improved under Neil de Bruin.<\/p>\n

Fellow new signing Thaakir Abrahams is another talent to keep an eye on as he is tasked with filling Kurt-Lee Arendse\u2019s void out wide. He also marks his return to South Africa against the All Blacks after stints at Lyon and Munster. He is a fleet-footed and pacey winger that New Zealand will have to keep in check.<\/p>\n

He will go up against Hurricanes star Josh Moorby, who has the opportunity to claim a place in the matchday 23 to face the Springboks at Ellis Park. Rennie highlighted the wing as a position of real depth and some uncertainty. The 28-year-old has the ability to break open a game with his try-scoring antics, but Rennie will mostly be concerned with his ability under the high ball.<\/p>\n

After an underwhelming performance in Cape Town against the Stormers, Beauden Barrett gets just his second appearance in the black jersey in the Rennie era as he lines up in the number 15 jersey in Pretoria. This year has been a fall from grace of sorts for the veteran playmaker but one would be incredibly foolish to write him off completely.<\/p>\n

Finally, fans will be keeping a close eye on the two All Blacks\u2019 scrum-halves, with Cortez Ratima and Kyle Preston essentially battling it out to be Cam Roigard\u2019s back-up in the Test match. Both players impressed in their tour match starts, making the decision incredibly difficult for the coaching team.<\/p>\n

Main head-to-head<\/p>\n

If the Bulls are to challenge the All Blacks, they will need their scrum and lineout to be firing; however, it\u2019s hard to look past the battle in the number seven jerseys on Saturday evening between Hanro Liebenberg and Anton Segner.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s plainly obvious that Ardie Savea and Luke Jacobson will be starters in the Test match against the Boks at Ellis Park but the final piece of the back-row puzzle has yet to be finalised and it could well go to the German-born Blues star. Rennie backed a mobile loose trio against France and Italy before deploying Tupou Vaa\u2019i in the number six jumper against Ireland. He may well do the same against South Africa, but Segner does tick many of the same boxes as the Chiefs forward.<\/p>\n

His head-to-head with Liebenberg will be a crucial one, with the pair set to lock horns in open play as they look to win the battle on the advantage line, but they will also be crucial in the set-pieces. Following the departure of Ruan Nortje, Liebenberg will be pivotal to Ackermann as a leader, lineout jumper and ball carrier, and he will need to show that.<\/p>\n

All Blacks sweating on Will Jordan\u2019s fitness ahead of opening Test against Springboks as Dave Rennie issues update<\/a><\/p>\n

Prediction<\/p>\n

The Stormers and Sharks managed to compete with the All Blacks in the first half of their respective matches and we can expect something similar in Pretoria. The Bulls have the quality to potentially cause an upset, but it\u2019s hard to look past another victory for the men in black with so many players pressing for a place in the Test team.<\/p>\n

Simply, New Zealand have 23 players of international quality, and the same cannot be said of the Bulls. The theme of the tour has been the URC clubs staying in the fight for about an hour before the All Blacks start to boss proceedings, particularly in the final quarter. Altitude will be a factor this time around but perhaps more so for the hosts than the visitors despite the late addition of Springboks forwards Johan Grobbelaar and Elrigh Louw \u2013 who have been released by Erasmus.<\/p>\n

Rennie will be out for answers in the final touring game before the Test series, and only time will tell how many he actually gets in what could be his team\u2019s toughest challenge before the Springboks. All Blacks to win by 20 points.<\/p>\n

Top 10 hookers in rugby: Springboks stalwart tops chart from Ireland\u2019s carrying king and a French bruiser<\/a><\/p>\n

The teams<\/p>\n

Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Thaakir Abrahams, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Juann Else, 1 Alu Tshakweni
Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Katlego Letebele, 23 Hakeem Kunene<\/p>\n

All Blacks:\u00a015 Beauden Barrett, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Josh Moorby, 10 Josh Jacomb, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Anton Segner, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu, 4 Fabian Holland, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor (c), 1 Xavier Numia
Replacements:\u00a0Samisoni Taukei\u2019aho, 17 George Bower, 18 Siale Lauaki, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 23 Emoni Narawa<\/p>\n

Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n

Date: Saturday, 15 August 2026
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 19:10 (local SAST), 18:10 (UK), 19:10 (France), 19:10 (South Africa), 03:10 (16 August, AEST), 05:10 (16 August, New Zealand), 14:10 (Argentina), 02:10 (16 August, JST), 13:10 (EDT)
How to watch: Sky Sports (UK and Ireland), Sky Sport \/ Sky Sport Now (New Zealand), SuperSport (South Africa), Stan Sport \/ Nine Sport (Australia), RugbyPass TV (USA), Premier Sports (Canada), WOWOW (Japan), ESPN Sur (Central\/South America and Caribbean)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU) and Matthew Carley (RFU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU)<\/p>\n

READ MORE:\u00a0Beast Mtawarira: Springboks have \u2018too much firepower\u2019 and will \u2018overwhelm\u2019 the All Blacks<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The All Blacks face the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening in what will be their final…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":569025,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[58032,337,42,1463,1464,111,43,6327,40,38,41,39],"class_list":["post-569024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-bulls","tag-features","tag-headlines","tag-home-page","tag-internationals","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-rugby","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/569024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=569024"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/569024\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/569025"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=569024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=569024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=569024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}