Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry is bigger than the Lions

The British & Irish Lions remain rugby’s most romantic tourists, but Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry has become the bigger series.

Zels and I agreed on the latest episode of Keo & Zels that a Springboks-All Blacks tour is now the ultimate contest outside of a World Cup.

It is the best against the best.

The Lions are selected from four countries and asked to become a Test team in a matter of weeks. That was unique and cutting-edge in the amateur era, but professionalism has changed the contest.

The analysis is more detailed, the science is more advanced and combinations are built over years. A composite Lions team cannot replicate the cohesion of a Springbok or All Blacks side that has evolved through an entire World Cup cycle.

There is also no manufactured rivalry when the Boks and All Blacks meet.

It is 105 years of history.

It is South Africa against New Zealand. It is the two most successful nations in World Cup history and the two biggest international brands in the sport.

The Lions visit South Africa once every 12 years, but the All Blacks will not return for another four-Test series until 2034. The Springboks go to New Zealand in 2030.

That 2030 tour will be monstrous.

Winning a World Cup remains rugby’s greatest prize, but there may be no more demanding assignment than winning a Test series against the All Blacks in New Zealand. There is no neutral venue and nowhere to hide. The Boks will have to beat New Zealand in New Zealand, repeatedly.

Win that series and the players write their names into rugby history forever.

This first edition of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry has already shown why the concept works.

The All Blacks arrived in South Africa with a new coach and a team attempting to recover from one of the darkest periods in their history. They were widely expected to lose the series heavily.

Instead, they won the opening Test 33-16 at Ellis Park and remained competitive in Cape Town and Soweto, despite the Springboks increasingly taking control physically.

South Africa responded like double world champions. They won the next two Tests, secured the South African leg 2-1 and produced a dominant second half at the FNB Stadium when the series demanded their best.

The fourth Test in Baltimore is different. It is being played on neutral ground, before a potential crowd of 71,000, and offers a taste of the conditions both teams will encounter at the 2027 World Cup.

The Boks and All Blacks have met eight times at neutral venues. They have won four each, with South Africa scoring 157 points and New Zealand 156.

It does not get closer.

Rassie Erasmus has selected 22 of the 23 players involved in Soweto. That tells us Baltimore is no exhibition for the Springboks. They want to win the series 3-1, land another psychological blow and show they can deliver a complete 80-minute performance away from home.

The All Blacks have made eight changes to their starting XV, but Richie Mo’unga returns at flyhalf, with Beauden Barrett and Rieko Ioane offering more than 200 Test caps from the bench.

Their backs remain electric. Their problem is up front.

New Zealand scored 13 tries to South Africa’s eight in the first three Tests, but their set piece could not consistently withstand the Springbok pack. Until the All Blacks find the heavies to match South Africa at scrum and maul, their attacking ambition will always be compromised.

Baltimore brings this chapter to a close, but the series has already delivered its verdict.

The Lions still have their history and romance.

The Boks against the All Blacks have history, relevance and the two best Test teams in the world.

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry is bigger. This series proved it.

Watch the full episode of Keo & Zels previewing the Baltimore Test between the Springboks and All Blacks.