The All Blacks are on the verge of rugby history. If New Zealand secures a victory against the Springboks in Cape Town this weekend, the 2026 touring squad will cement its case as the greatest All Blacks team to ever cross the Indian Ocean, eclipsing even the legendary 1996 "Incomparables".
For thirty years, Sean Fitzpatrick's 1996 squad held the undisputed crown as the first New Zealand team to win a Test series in South Africa. However, while that historic side broke the ultimate psychological barrier, their midweek record showed they were mortal.
The 1996 side scraped wins over the Boland Invitational XV (32-21) and Eastern Province (31-23), suffered a grinding draw against Griqualand West (18-18), and dropped the final Test in Pretoria. They also notched a clinical 31-00 shutout against Western Transvaal at Olën Park. By contrast, Scott Robertson’s 2026 team is chasing an unprecedented feat: a completely flawless, undefeated tour of the Republic.
A crucial piece of that undefeated puzzle falls into place tonight at 10bet Ellis Park in Johannesburg, where the All Blacks face the 10bet Lions. This highly anticipated match brings the provincial component of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour to a close.
The Lions enter the clash fresh off winning the United Rugby Championship's (URC) South African Shield, making them a lethal opponent. For the All Blacks, navigating this midweek fixture with a heavily rotated squad, featuring the long-awaited return of flyhalf Richie Mo'unga, is vital.
Avoiding a slip-up tonight is the final roadblock to claiming a 100% win record against South Africa's elite regional franchises. Securing a victory would push them past the mid-week blemishes of the 1996 tour and set a new gold standard for touring depth.
The sheer dominance of the current tour is laid bare when comparing the scorelines of both iconic campaigns. Where the 1996 team fought through tight contests, the 2026 squad has left a trail of destruction across the Republic.
They opened with a convincing 38-21 win over the Stormers in Cape Town, completely blanked the Sharks 54–0 in Durban, and put a historic 50-19 scoreline on the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. They translated that rampant midweek form directly into the Test arena, dismantling the world-champion Springboks 33-16 in front of a hostile Johannesburg crowd in the first Test.
This distinction in opposition quality makes the 2026 run even more impressive. While the 1996 team played invitationals and regional unions finding their feet at the dawn of professionalism, the 2026 All Blacks have had to systematically dismantle South Africa's elite, battle-hardened URC powerhouses.
Sweeping these top-tier franchises represents the most dominant multi-week display by any touring team in modern rugby history. It proves that this New Zealand team operates on an entirely different tactical plane than any squad that came before them.
In 1996, the opening Test win in Cape Town gave New Zealand the belief to go on and conquer the Republic. This weekend, the 2026 squad returns to Cape Town Stadium where they can officially shut the door on the series.
A victory would push them to a commanding 2-0 lead in this gruelling four-Test series. Defeating the Springboks twice on their own soil, while maintaining total perfection against the local franchises, would statistically and contextually make this the most dominant All Blacks team to ever touch down in South Africa. The 1996 team broke the barrier, but the 2026 team is rewriting the standard of perfection.