The 10bet Lions will host the All Blacks tonight at 10bet Ellis Park at 19:00 (SAST), carrying the hopes of a nation that they can make history by becoming the first local side to beat New Zealand on the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour.
Just three days after stunning the Springboks 33-16 at the same venue, New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie has heavily rotated his squad to ensure every travelling player gets vital game time. This clash represents the final provincial hurdle for the visitors before they head into the remaining three massive, consecutive Tests against the Boks.
All eyes will be on superstar fly-half Richie Mo'unga, who starts and wears the famous black jersey for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Experienced lock Patrick Tuipulotu captains the heavily altered side, while powerful prop Saula Ma'u is set to make his official All Blacks debut. With Mo'unga pulling the strings and several highly motivated squad players looking to force their way into the Test frame, the visitors' intensity will not drop.
On the other side of the pitch, 10bet Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen has named a fierce lineup. Crucially, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has released national players Quan Horn (starting at fullback) and Boan Venter (on the bench) to help the Johannesburg franchise hunt a historic upset. Van Rooyen has a golden opportunity with this bolstered squad; the inclusion of dynamic Springboks like Horn gives the Lions the genuine tactical weapons needed to test this fresh All Blacks combination.
While the Lions have been impressive in the United Rugby Championship, the All Blacks' second-string depth features world-class talent hungry to stake a claim for the next Test match. Expect a spirited, high-altitude battle early on, but New Zealand's clinical tactical clarity should see them pull away comfortably in the second half.
Teams:
10bet Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Kelly Mpeku, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Richard Kriel, 11 Erich Cronje, 10 Chris Smit, 9 Nico Steyn, 8 Francke Horn (c), 7 Batho Hlekani, 6 Siba Mahashe, 5 Ruan Delport, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Sebastian Lombard, 2 PJ Botha, 1 SJ Kotze. Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Boan Venter, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 JC Pretorius, 22 Haashim Pead, 23 Boeta Chamberlain.
All Blacks: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Fehi Fineanganofo, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 11 Emoni Narawa, 10 Richi Mo’unga, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Semisi Ta’eiloa, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 6 Wallace Sititi, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 4 Sam Darry, 3 Pasilio Tosi, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Siale Lauaki. Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Saula Ma’u, 19 Jamie Hannah, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Josh Jacomb, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown.
