(WATCH)Springboks arrive to cheering crowd ahead of All Blacks Baltimore showdown
· Citizen
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The world champions received a hero’s welcome in Maryland as passionate supporters sang Shosholoza, waved flags and sounded vuvuzelas. This happened ahead of Saturday’s historic fourth and final Test against the New Zealand All Blacks.
The clash on 12 September will be another chapter in one of rugby’s greatest rivalries. However, this time the stage is an NFL stadium thousands of kilometres from both teams’ traditional home grounds.
A rivalry built on history
The Springboks and All Blacks have been locked in one of international rugby’s fiercest rivalries for more than a century.
Their first Test meeting took place in 1921, when New Zealand toured South Africa. Since then, encounters between the two nations have become synonymous with physicality, tactical battles and high-stakes rugby.
The rivalry has also produced some of the sport’s most memorable moments. These include World Cup finals and iconic clashes between generations of Springboks and All Blacks.
Now, history will be made again when the teams meet for the first time in a Test on American soil.
Boks hold the advantage
South Africa enters the final Test with a 2-1 series lead. This comes after edging New Zealand 29-24 at FNB Stadium in Soweto.
Rassie Erasmus’ squad will be determined to finish the tour on a high. However, the team will be without star winger Cheslin Kolbe, who remains in South Africa after suffering a fractured jaw.
The Boks, however, have welcomed back key reinforcements including Handré Pollard, Damian Willemse and Canan Moodie.
Kick-off is scheduled for 11 am in Baltimore. This means South African fans will need to tune in at 5 pm SAST. In New Zealand, the match starts at 3 am on Sunday, 13 September.
Why Baltimore?
The 71 000-seat M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens, provides a spectacular setting for the decider.
Taking the rivalry to the United States is part of a broader push to grow rugby’s global audience. It also aims to introduce the sport to American fans.
The fixture also arrives as the US prepares to host the 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup and 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup. This makes the Baltimore match an important showcase for the sport.
For South African and New Zealand supporters living in the US, it is also an opportunity to turn the occasion into a festival. Fan gatherings and Bokjols will add a distinctly South African flavour to Baltimore.