Five players whose performances can be decisive in Baltimore
OPINION: The Springboks’ final match of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks will end in one of two ways at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, USA on Saturday – South Africa will claim the title, or the series will end in a draw.
The Boks have claimed a 2-1 lead after bouncing back from a horror start to the series at Ellis Park to win both the Cape Town Stadium and FNB Stadium clashes.
With the curtain set to come down on what has been an eventful series, we look at five players whose performances can be decisive in the series-finale.
Manie Libbok
While nobody can question starting flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s talent, he has been far from his best in his three starts in the series so far, and yet another starting berth is an indication of the backing from the Bok coaching staff and them wanting him to play his way back to the kind of scintillating form he showed last season.
Erasmus explained that Feinberg-Mngomezulu brings something different in the opening exchanges and highlighted his defence, while he added that Libbok provides valuable impact once the game opens up later in the second half.
Libbok sizzled when he came off the bench last week in the Boks’ 29-24 win at FNB Stadium as he once again brought their attack to life and added a few hot touches of his own.
While he won’t be running out in the number 10 jersey, it will be exciting to see the potency he injects in another cameo against the All Blacks and, given some of the performances he’s put on show against New Zealand, South Africans wouldn’t be too presumptive in feeling confident that another showstopper is loading.
Damian Willemse
The Stormers man was on fire before injury struck in the second Test, consistently menacing the All Blacks with his aerial game and showing why he is the best fullback in world rugby at the moment.
His attacking repertoire could fill a papyrus scroll, and how he combines those silky hands, footwork, and high rugby IQ with physicality, power, and sturdy defensive deserve to be studied.
The All Blacks backs, their wingers in particular, have struggled with South Africa’s high kick and chase, and if Willemse and Co can put them under pressure in that area again, it will be another long day under the high ball for the Kiwis, and the likes of Kurt-Lee Arendse and Ethan Hooker will happily add to their troubles.
Wilco Louw
Bok scrum. Wilco Louw. Unmatched.
That’s about all that has to be said about the South Africans’ set-piece.
The All Black scrum has taken a beating on this tour, repeatedly, and one would be remiss not to mention the contribution of Ox Nche and the replacement props.
But the shoving battle is Louw’s primary role and one that very few globally, if any, can do better when he is at his best on the day.
Rassie and his whole pack are already in Dave Rennie’s side’s head when when it comes to the scrum, and it isn’t even worth debating who will come out on top when the teams pack down.
He may not be the ultimate of jack of all trades in open play, but he’s the master of the scrum.
Malcolm Marx
The Springbok hooker draws up his own international KPIs and smashes it every time he takes to the field.
Marx was sensational at FNB Stadium, and while that maul try was the standout, he was colossal all over the park as the Boks grabbed a series lead.
From breakdown brilliance to finishing off rolling mauls like only he can to rock-solid defence and everything in between, Marx’s game has progressed to the point where it has no discernable weaknesses.
That non-stop engine will be crucial in tiring out an All Blacks squad in the final match of a long tour.
Richie Mo’unga
The FNB Stadium match was the biggest of the series, and Ruben Love simply did not show up for the occasion after starting in all six of the All Blacks’ Tests this season. And that’s putting it mildly.
While Rennie continued to back Love when explaining his team changes, stating that the teams for the four Tests had been selected well in advance, implying that Love wasn’t dropped, Mo’unga getting his first taste of Test rugby for New Zealand since the 2023 World Cup final in Paris is massive and shows how desperate they are to salvage the series.
The 32-year-old was recalled to the squad after Billy Proctor’s injury and ran out in the thriller against the Lions, but this will be his first Test under Rennie.
Mo’unga is a different kind of flyhalf to Love, but he certainly has the ability to bring a different edge to the All Blacks, particularly with his territorial kicking game.
He is the All Black who can exert the biggest influence in Baltimore.
