The Springboks and All Blacks will contest the fourth and final Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series on Saturday, 12 September 2026, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. South Africa leads the series 2-1 and can claim a 3-1 victory with a win, while New Zealand needs a result to share the series 2-2.
Kick-off is at 5:10pm local time (11:10pm South African time). England’s Karl Dickson will referee the match.
Both coaches have named their starting teams. Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus made two changes from the side that won 29-24 in Soweto. Damian Willemse returns at fullback in place of the injured Cheslin Kolbe (broken jaw), while Morné van den Berg starts at scrumhalf with Cobus Reinach moving to the bench. The rest of the pack and midfield remains largely unchanged, with Siya Kolisi captaining the side and Eben Etzebeth continuing in the second row.
Springboks starting XV:
15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morné van den Berg; 1 Ox Nché, 2 Malcolm Marx, 3 Wilco Louw, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Ruan Nortjé, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 André Esterhuizen, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok.
All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has made several changes after the loss of captain Ardie Savea (shoulder) and other injuries. Codie Taylor returns as hooker and captain. Richie Mo’unga starts at flyhalf, with Fletcher Newell, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ethan Blackadder and Anton Lienert-Brown all earning first starts of the series.
All Blacks starting XV:
15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Josh Moorby, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Cam Roigard; 1 Ethan de Groot, 2 Codie Taylor (captain), 3 Fletcher Newell, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 5 Sam Darry, 6 Tupou Vaa’i, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 8 Peter Lakai.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Rieko Ioane, 23 Beauden Barrett.
The decision to play in Baltimore is driven by commercial and growth opportunities. Both unions expect significantly higher revenue than a home fixture in South Africa, while World Rugby is pushing to expand the game in the United States ahead of the 2031 and 2033 World Cups. The stadium, home of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, offers a natural grass surface and capacity for more than 70,000 fans.
Veteran Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth has acknowledged the squad’s age profile but stressed that the senior players are working harder than ever and still competing at the highest level. Erasmus has called for greater consistency, especially in closing out matches, after the All Blacks mounted late challenges in recent Tests.
The Springboks will be without Kolbe, while the All Blacks miss Savea and several other players. A win for South Africa would deliver their first series victory over New Zealand in 50 years. For the All Blacks, it is a final chance to salvage a share of the series on neutral soil.
