The Greatest Rivalry Springboks vs ABs - SA 7-3 ahead

It's been a while since we got to enjoy a proper tour game. Looking forward towards the midweek games, watching our boys slug it out with the best. The last team we had tour was the BIL, but our provinces were undercooked and we never really got to test them. Fortunately the boks rose to the occasion and we won in what would probably be the most un atmospheric series ever due to crowds being locked because of COVID.

Now we have the ABs around the corner and they are no longer the force they once were. This got me asking the question, how much better has SA gotten and how much worse has NZ become. Yes, they changed their coach and yes, they only lost 3 or 4 game last season. One less than the boks, but the argument would be that these losses were at home and record score put up agains them. Yet, SA lost to probably one of the worst Wobly teams and yet we don't see this in the same light as the Kiwis who lost to Argentina.

Here some interesting stats.

Pre-1992 Record: South Africa 19 wins, New Zealand 16 wins, 2 draws. Post-1992 Record: New Zealand 47 wins, South Africa 24 wins, 2 draws.

Key insight: Combining both eras gives the All-Time Record (1921–Present): New Zealand 63 wins, South Africa 43 wins, 4 draws across 110 total test matches.

Of our last 10 encounters we won 7 out of 10 leaving ABs to only beat us 3 times over the past 6 years, we are still 20 matches short of getting equal to them, that number was further compounded as we normally play 6 to 8 time every World Cup cycle an from 2011 to 2019 we play 6 won 1, and then again 6 won 1, however, between

Breaking the rivalry down by venue reveals some fascinating truths — including the fact that mapping out every single match location corrects the commonly generalized pre-1992 tally! When you count the exact home and away outcomes, the amateur era was actually 20 to 15 in favor of the Springboks.

Out of their 110 total matches since 1921, the venue split is incredibly balanced: 54 have been played in South Africa, 48in New Zealand, and 8 at neutral venues.

Here is exactly how the home and away advantage has shifted between the two eras.

The Overall All-Time Split (1921 – Present)

1. The Amateur Era (Pre-1992)

During the early touring years, playing at home was a massive advantage. Neither team managed a winning record away from home, but South Africa was vastly superior at protecting their home turf.

2. The Modern Era (1992 – Present)

This is where the stats tell a brutal story about New Zealand's modern dominance. Since readmission, the All Blacks have actually won more games in South Africa (20) than the Springboks have (14). Conversely, South Africa has found it incredibly difficult to win in New Zealand.

Key insight: The neutral venue record is perfectly tied at 4-4. Those 8 neutral matches include five intense World Cup clashes (three won by New Zealand, two won by South Africa), two Rugby Championship matches played in Australia during the 2021 COVID-19 bubble (one win each), and the 2023 Qatar Airways Cup in London (won by South Africa).

So here is the full break down between each cycle, can you detect a pattern.

1995 World Cup Cycle

1992–1995

Total Matches: 5

1. New Zealand Wins: 3
2. South Africa Wins: 1
3. Draws: 1

Following South Africa's readmission, the All Blacks won a hard-fought series in 1994. However, the definitive match of this era was the iconic 1995 Rugby World Cup Final in Johannesburg, where the Springboks won 15-12 in extra time to unite a post-apartheid nation.

1999 World Cup Cycle

1996–1999

Total Matches: 12

1. New Zealand Wins: 7
2. South Africa Wins: 5

This era introduced the annual Tri-Nations tournament. The All Blacks made history by winning their first-ever test series on South African soil in 1996. The Springboks roared back later in the cycle, winning the 1998 Tri-Nations and defeating the All Blacks in the 1999 World Cup Bronze Final.

2003 World Cup Cycle

2000–2003

Total Matches: 9

1. New Zealand Wins: 8
2. South Africa Wins: 1

A period of heavy dominance by New Zealand. The Springboks managed just one victory—a 46-40 thriller in Johannesburg in 2000. The All Blacks completely controlled the remaining fixtures, capping it off with a comprehensive 29-9 win over South Africa in the 2003 World Cup Quarter-Final.

2007 World Cup Cycle

2004–2007

Total Matches: 9

1. New Zealand Wins: 6
2. South Africa Wins: 3

The rivalry became highly competitive again as Jake White rebuilt the Springboks. While New Zealand pulled ahead in the head-to-head record and won the Tri-Nations in 2006 and 2007, South Africa peaked perfectly when it mattered most, lifting the 2007 World Cup trophy in France.

2011 World Cup Cycle

2008–2011

Total Matches: 11

1. New Zealand Wins: 6
2. South Africa Wins: 5

An incredibly physical, tightly contested era. The Springboks swept the All Blacks 3-0 in 2009 to claim the Tri-Nations, but New Zealand returned the favor with a 3-0 sweep of their own in 2010. They didn't meet at the 2011 World Cup, which New Zealand won on home soil.

2015 World Cup Cycle

2012–2015

Total Matches: 8

1. New Zealand Wins: 7
2. South Africa Wins: 1

One of the most dominant eras in All Blacks history. South Africa's lone success was a tight 27-25 win in Johannesburg (2014). The cycle concluded with a brutally physical 20-18 semifinal at the 2015 World Cup in London, which New Zealand won on their way to back-to-back titles.

2019 World Cup Cycle

2016–2019

Total Matches: 8

1. New Zealand Wins: 6
2. South Africa Wins: 1
3. Draws: 1

New Zealand dominated early, delivering historic 57-15 and 57-0 defeats to SA. However, Rassie Erasmus's appointment in 2018 sparked a Springbok resurgence, including a famous 36-34 upset in Wellington. New Zealand beat SA in the 2019 World Cup pool stages, but the Boks went on to win the tournament.

2023 World Cup Cycle

2020–2023

Total Matches: 7

1. South Africa Wins: 4
2. New Zealand Wins: 3

The power dynamic definitively flipped. After trading wins in 2021 and 2022, South Africa asserted total control in 2023. They handed New Zealand a record 35-7 defeat at Twickenham before edging the All Blacks 12-11 in a dramatic 2023 World Cup Final in Paris.

Current Cycle

2024–Present

Total Matches: 4

1. South Africa Wins: 3
2. New Zealand Wins: 1

The Springboks have largely maintained their upper hand, sweeping both matches of the 2024 Rugby Championship. In 2025, New Zealand struck back with a win in Auckland, but South Africa responded a week later with a 43-10 victory in Wellington—the All Blacks' heaviest-ever home test defeat.

Now why do i know that you never typed this yourself?

Haha, less spelling and grammar mistakes due my fingers on a mobile screen. But wouldn't you agree it is some amazing prompting happening here.

To be honest, Rassie is probably our most successful coach when it comes going head to against the kiwis of any era.

Then during 2011 to 2015, under Meyer we were ranked 2nd and came close many times of beating the ABs, but we had inflicted so much damage thanks to Pieter De Villiers running the team into the ground.

But that All Black team 2011 until 2019 was amazing. So we had 3 cycles with massive loss ratio and it will mean if we were going to be even then it will take us double the amount of cycles to even come close

Swings and roundabouts - Everything is about to change again.

No, it's not. New Zealand aren't at the bottom yet.

I wonder if France is sending their B team again the year.

I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what half those stats were about!!

I see Du Plessis has been left out.

What do guys think about that?

Du Plessis ??? Blond moment for me again...sorry Plum.

Kirifi