The Springboks vs All Blacks series wraps up in the United States this weekend (12 September).
South Africa heads into the historic fourth Test in Baltimore with a 2-1 lead after back-to-back wins.
The South African looks at which players have had the biggest impact on Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry so far.
Springboks vs All Blacks: How things stand
At the beginning of the tour, the world champions would have been reasonably confident.
Facing South Africa’s top domestic teams, New Zealand rotated their squad and came away with less-than-convincing results.
On 7 August, the All Blacks defeated the Stormers 38-21, as captured on the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry website.
The Sharks were then crushed 54-0 by New Zealand in Durban on 11 August.
Four days later, on 15 August, the Bulls were defeated 19-50 by the mighty visitors.
The first Test then saw the Springboks humbled 16-33 at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, in a dismal all-round outing for the hosts.
On 25 August, the Lions put on a huge display, going down 35-41 to New Zealand.
The Springboks then levelled the series on 29 August, relying on their run of form at the Cape Town Stadium to seal a 33-26 win.
Johannesburg hosted the third Test of the series on 5 September.
South Africa held on to seal a first-ever win over New Zealand at the FNB Stadium in Soweto.
Match details
Date: 12 September 2026
Kick-off time: 23:00 SAST
Venue: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
Who has been the standout player so far?
In the first Test, Jasper Wiese, Wilco Louw, Ox Nche, and Cheslin Kolbe were among the standouts for the Springboks.
Will Jordan, Jordie Barrett, Cam Roigard, and Ardie Savea were top-rated after a “complete” All Blacks performance.
Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Ethan Hooker and Kolbe were given strong ratings after the second Test.
On the opposite side, Savea had another elite outing, alongside Roigard, Jordan, and Leroy Carter in the back row.
The third Test saw Malcolm Marx put in a huge shift, reflecting his 2025 Player of the Year recognition.
Louw, Damien de Allende, and Hooker were also among the Springboks’ strongest players.
For the All Blacks, Savea, Jordan, and Roigard stood out yet again.
While ratings are subjective, South Africa will miss the presence of Kolbe in the backline after breaking his jaw in the third Test.
Similarly, the powerhouse Savea dislocated his shoulder in the same game and will not travel to Baltimore either.
These two men have arguably been the strongest performers for their respective countries during Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
It could also be debated that Nche, Wiese, Hooker, Jordan, and Roigard are also up there.
What remains now is a final Springboks vs All Blacks clash on foreign soil, and plenty of stars may still put their hands up.
WHO IS YOUR PLAYER OF THE SERIES?
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