Three predictions ahead of tonight's Rugby Championship match between the All Blacks and the Springboks at Westpac Stadium.
1. The All Blacks will win
Yes, we predict this every weekend but we are yet to be wrong (we didn't make any predictions before the 12-12 draw). The All Blacks are on a 34-test win streak at home, dating back to September 12, 2009 - or to be exact 1827 days. On that day it was the Springboks who were the victors, beating the All Blacks 32-29.
South Africa have a won nine tests against the All Blacks on New Zealand soil in 40 attempts dating back to 1921.
The Springboks have played eights tests at Westpac Stadium, winning twice against Fiji and Wales (the James Hook penalty that wasn't) but have lost five to the All Blacks - all by more than 10 points.
They have never scored more than two tries against the All Blacks at the Cake Tin.
2.
Julian Savea won't score a try
Savea is once again the TAB favourite to score the first try ($8) after last weekend's double against Argentina taking his tally to 26 in 25 tests. But there is one major test nation that he has yet to score against - South Africa. In three tests, the Hurricanes winger has failed to cross the line.
Fellow try-scoring maestro Joe Rokocoko only had that issue against South Africa at the end of his career. Rokocoko scored nine tries in his first nine tests against the 'Boks - before failing to score in his final six outings against them.
3. A card will be brandished
In the two tests played between the All Blacks and Springboks last year there were five yellow cards and a red. Bismarck du Plessis was sent off at Eden Park for two yellow cards while Ma'a Nonu and Kieran Read also left the field leaving it 13 on 14 in the final six minutes. In Johannesburg last year Liam Messam and Ben Franks were yellow-carded. In fact the All Blacks have racked up six yellow cards in the last three tests against the Springboks.
The last time there wasn't a card in a test between these two rivals was 2011.
