Rassie Erasmus' side dealt with the pressure of going 1-0 down with a composed performance in Cape Town to level the series, and will look to use that momentum when the team returns to Johannesburg for the third game.
New Zealand, on the other hand, believe their expansive, quick style of play gives them an edge in Highveld conditions, which helped them win the opening Test of the tour.
The venue is by far the largest of the entire tour, with an expected crowd of 80 000 to 90 000 people; it surpasses even the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, USA, where the series decider will be played in just over a week. The home support will be loud and boisterous, and the Springboks will feed off that energy.
Date: Saturday, 5 September 2026
Venue: FNB Stadium (Soccer City), Johannesburg
Kick-off: 17:10 SAST
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Team news and lineups
Springboks - 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Andre Esterhuizen, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Manie Libbok
Damian Willemse is out with a hamstring injury sustained in Cape Town. Cheslin Kolbe shifts from the wing to fullback, with Kurt-Lee Arendse returning on the right wing.
The rest of the starting side shows strong continuity from the second Test, with the preferred front-row combination of Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw restored to the starting XV. Erasmus has hinted he could make a late change to the front row again if conditions are not what he expected early in the week.
All Blacks - 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Ardie Savea (c), 7 Luke Jacobson, 6 Peter Lakai, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Tupou Vaa'i, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 George Bower
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Fabian Holland, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Josh Moorby
Dave Rennie has made three changes to inject energy and address set-piece issues. Asafo Aumua starts at hooker in place of Codie Taylor, who drops out of the 23 completely, while Sam Darry comes in at lock and Peter Lakai starts at blindside flanker. The backline is unchanged.
Overall Strategic Matchup
South Africa will look to lean on set-piece power by dominating the scrums and disrupting lineouts once again. Big collisions, a high-pressure rush defence, and an accurate kicking game are crucial to their game plan, as they thrive in an arm-wrestle-type scenario where they can squeeze territory and force errors.
New Zealand will prioritise continuity, keeping the ball in play, width and counter-attacking speed. Their backline thrives on open-field opportunities, while Ardie Savea and the loose forwards aim to keep the ball alive and disrupt South African breakdown dominance.
Key Battles
Scrum & Set-Piece: South Africa's front row, and scrum in general, has been a major talking point throughout the series, with New Zealand looking to disrupt their dominance of the set piece through the media as much as on the pitch. The Springboks will be confident in this area and look to generate penalties to keep the scoreboard ticking and help them control the territorial battle.
Discipline & Territorial Control: Penalties have already shaped the series. South Africa's improved discipline in Cape Town allowed Kolbe to kick them into a winning position, while New Zealand's infringements gifted easy points and allowed the Boks to keep them at arm's reach. At altitude, poor discipline is even more costly because kicks, from the tee and out of hand, go much further.
Aerial Game at Altitude: The high ball and territorial kicking game take on heightened importance in Johannesburg. Cheslin Kolbe is an elite contestable-kick winner, alongside Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Ethan Hooker has improved considerably in this area too. South Africa will use box kicks, high balls and long-range territorial kicks to force New Zealand into uncomfortable situations.
New Zealand possess dangerous counter-attacking threats in Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan and Leroy Carter. If they can securely claim the high ball and then transition quickly, they can punish any over-commitment from the Springboks' kick-chase and rush defence.
Key Matchups
Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx & Wilco Louw vs George Bower, Asafo Aumua & Tyrel Lomax
This is one of the most critical individual and collective battles on the field. South Africa's front row has been a major weapon throughout the series, repeatedly winning penalties and establishing dominance at scrum time. However, the All Blacks showed significant improvement in the second Test.
New Zealand have brought Asafo Aumua at hooker in place of Codie Taylor to improve their accuracy at the lineouts, but he will have plenty of work to do at scrum time as well. The All Blacks need to stabilise the scrum and reduce the penalty count that has already cost them points via Cheslin Kolbe's boot.
At altitude, the physical toll of repeated scrums is magnified. If the Springboks can keep winning the engagement and force New Zealand backwards, they will generate both territory and momentum. Conversely, if the All Blacks can hold their own and provide cleaner ball, it will allow their backs more opportunity to play with width and pace. This front-row contest is likely to set the tone for the entire forward battle.
Cheslin Kolbe vs Damian McKenzie & Will Jordan
Kolbe has been one of the standout performers of the series so far and will shift from wing to fullback for this Test after Damian Willemse's injury. His goal-kicking has been clinical, with a perfect record across the first two Tests, and his ability to turn high balls or broken-field situations into counter-attacking opportunities remains elite.
At fullback he will face a dual threat: McKenzie's playmaking and kicking game from deep, plus Jordan's finishing and ability to exploit space on the edge. Kolbe's timing under the high ball and his decision-making when returning kicks will be critical to the outcome of the match. If Kolbe can neutralise McKenzie's influence and limit Jordan's involvement in open play, South Africa gain a major territorial and psychological edge.
Eben Etzebeth & Ruan Nortje vs Tupou Vaa'i & Sam Darry
The Springboks made a mockery of the All Blacks lineout in Cape Town, with a perfect record on their own throws and Etzebeth stealing the ball three times from New Zealand lineouts. The All Blacks will bring a new plan to the FNB Stadium to try to win back some control from the set piece.
The All Blacks adjusted their second row, starting Sam Darry alongside Tupou Vaa'i in a bid to improve lineout accuracy after mixed results in the first two Tests. Holland was impressive off the bench in Cape Town and is a bit unfortunate not to have won a place in the starting lineup for the third Test.
This matchup will dictate set-piece quality and the ability to generate go-forward from the middle of the park. The Springbok steals last week also frequently got them out of trouble close to their own line.
Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Ethan Hooker vs Will Jordan, Leroy Carter and Damian McKenzie
The collective back-three contest is pivotal, with tactical kicking taking on increased importance at altitude.
Kolbe has been brilliant on the wing all series but will need to shift his mindset at fullback. Arendse brings finishing ability and aerial competence, while Hooker has impressed with his physicality and contestable kicking presence.
New Zealand's combination offers serious pace and finishing quality, with Carter providing a different profile on one wing.
At FNB Stadium, the contest under the high ball becomes magnified — contestables, box kicks and restarts will be frequent, with kicks ranging in depth and height. The side that wins more of these aerial duels and then transitions effectively will control large stretches of the game.
South Africa will look to use the back three as a defensive and territorial weapon; New Zealand will seek to create mismatches and exploit any hesitation in the Springboks' kick-chase.
Prediction
Both sides have reason to be confident going into the crucial third Test, with the Boks having won the last match between the two sides and the All Blacks getting on top the last time they were in Johannesburg.
While New Zealand have said going into the match that they feel like their high fitness levels and pace of play give them an edge in the Highveld, the Springboks' forward-focused game plan backed up by a strong aerial game has also proven to be very effective at high altitude, especially if Kolbe can keep up his accuracy off the tee.
The Boks also have extra motivation to win what will be their final Test of the year on home soil, and that will be difficult for the All Blacks to overcome.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi believes the significance of playing at FNB Stadium will provide extra motivation for the Boks when they face the All Blacks in front of a huge crowd on Saturday.
All Blacks prop George Bower is relishing another scrum battle with the Springboks when the two sides meet at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
The defining moment of the Springboks' latest series against New Zealand may have come after the final whistle in Cape Town last weekend, rather than during the fierce battle itself.
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has named his team for Saturday's third Test against the Springboks, handing flanker Peter Lakai his first start of the Greatest Rivalry series.
