In a historic edition of rugby’s most storied rivalry, world-ranked number one South Africa has solidified its status as the global game’s dominant force, clinching a 3-1 series win over New Zealand that offers critical insight into both sides’ preparations ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
After opening the three-match South African leg with a 33-16 upset loss to the All Blacks at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park, the back-to-back world champions reeled off three consecutive wins, wrapping up the series title with a comfortable 43-28 victory in the fourth Test hosted in Baltimore, United States. The standalone four-match series, which replaced the 2026 Rugby Championship and is scheduled to return in 2029, marked the first high-stakes test for both sides 12 months out from rugby’s showpiece tournament.
For the Springboks, the series put on display the tactical flexibility that has become their greatest competitive advantage. The side had already signaled its ambition to dominate across all areas of the game with the 2024 appointment of former Highlanders head coach Tony Brown as attack coach, who will join the All Blacks’ staff in 2028 and is renowned for building sharp, fluid attacking systems centered on quick ball movement. After being outscored on tries across the first two Tests, however, South Africa leaned back into the forward pack power that carried them to consecutive World Cup titles, shutting down New Zealand’s bid to replicate their 1996 series win on South African soil.
This physical dominance was perfectly encapsulated by the match-deciding try in Baltimore: a massive rolling maul that started just inside New Zealand’s 22-meter line, before hooker Malcolm Marx peeled off to score under the posts. That score followed a first-half penalty try awarded from a dominant scrum, proving once again that the Springboks’ forward advantage is nearly unmatchable when the stakes are highest. 2019 World Cup winner Schalk Brits emphasized this approach in comments to BBC Sport, noting: “South Africa have tried to play expansively a couple of times when we have dominance after hurting teams in the maul or scrum. New Zealand didn’t have that dominance in the forwards, but people said they played beautiful rugby. I don’t care if it is beautiful or not. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I love a maul and a scrum.”
The series also offered key clues about South Africa’s 2027 World Cup selection puzzle. Twenty-four-year-old fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who returned from a late May injury to start all four Tests after Handre Pollard’s late withdrawal, showed steady improvement as the series progressed but failed to hit his usual standard of individual brilliance. The question remains open as to whether the Springboks will turn back to experienced 32-year-old Pollard to close out high-pressure knockout matches, just as they did during their 2023 World Cup title run. Most of Rassie Erasmus’ seasoned core of world champions, including Marx (32), Eben Etzebeth (34), Pieter-Steph du Toit (34), Siya Kolisi (35), Damian de Allende (34) and Cheslin Kolbe (32), remain regular starters, proving that the experienced core can deliver even as the side experiments with more expansive attacking play. For Erasmus, the priority remains clear: a third consecutive World Cup title trumps popular demand for flashy attacking rugby, and the proven winning formula is still the side’s first choice.
For the All Blacks, the series offered encouraging signs under new head coach Dave Rennie, who took over in January after the controversial dismissal of Scott Robertson after just two years in charge. A low-key appointment, Rennie hit the ground running immediately, guiding the side to that opening upset win at Ellis Park that threw the series outcome into doubt, defying pre-series predictions of a comfortable Springboks win fueled by home advantage and recent dominance.
Rennie placed his trust in 25-year-old Hurricanes half-backs Cam Roigard and Ruben Love to revive the iconic All Blacks playing identity: the ability to score from transition anywhere on the pitch and build relentless scoreboard pressure. The side delivered on that promise, scoring four or more tries in each of the three South African Tests, with the third Test tied at the halftime break. Former England wing Ugo Monye highlighted the difference Rennie has already made, telling Rugby Union Weekly: “Scott Robertson was a good culture coach but maybe not a brilliant technical coach. Dave Rennie is a brilliant technical coach. After the Nations Championship, you could see the structures and how they want to play. I think the All Blacks’ backline is the most skilled in World Rugby.”
While Love struggled to replicate his strong first Test form in the subsequent two matches, the Baltimore Test marked the return of star fly-half Richie Mo’unga, who played his first Test since the 2023 World Cup final after a stint playing club rugby in Japan. Though the 32-year-old did not hit the elite form that made him one of the standouts of the 2023 tournament, getting him back to match fitness and sharpness over the next 12 months is a clear priority for the All Blacks program. Former England scrum-half Danny Care summed up the optimism around New Zealand’s resurgence: “Imagine what New Zealand would do with a platform and some dominance. It is great for the game that they are coming back to be the All Blacks of old, and the next 12 months will be fascinating.”
Beyond the two teams directly competing in the series, the result offers context for the 2027 World Cup picture. For South Africa, the opening loss at Ellis Park exposed a rare vulnerability, even though the side quickly reclaimed their world number one ranking after the series win. Currently installed as pre-tournament favorites to win a third consecutive title in Australia, the Springboks are facing a level of pressure they have not experienced in previous World Cup cycles. As Brits noted, the side performs best when written off: “We hate being the favourite, we almost have to have our backs against the wall. We prefer not to have the eyes on us and move under the radar. I think that is the best way for any team.”
Brits also identified the other key contenders heading into next year’s tournament. Back-to-back Six Nations champions France, who earned a narrow 34-32 win over a weakened New Zealand side in July and fell to an emphatic 32-17 defeat to South Africa last November, were named as the most settled side, with a similar tactical flexibility to the Springboks. “I feel like South Africa have an advantage as they can play multiple styles, and it feels like most other nations don’t have that capability,” Brits said. “The only team that can play multiple styles is France, as they can grind it out with the forwards, play the kicking game and the expansive game as well.”
He added that England are still working to find their best form, and warned against counting out Ireland, who have fallen off the radar after peaking in previous World Cup cycles: “Ireland still have amazing rugby players and coaches – the best coaches out there – and a top-four squad. Be careful of Ireland.”