A rare Springbok victory over the All Blacks at their seemingly impregnable Eden Park fortress would rank among SA coach Rassie Erasmus' finest achievements.
The All Blacks will put a stunning 50-match unbeaten streak at the Auckland venue on the line when they host the Boks on Saturday.
This landmark Rugby Championship clash has been playing on Erasmus' mind for some time and SA will be fired up for what promises to be a mini World Cup final.
When SA's inspirational captain Siya Kolisi was forced to pull out of the Boks' second Rugby Championship against Australia in Cape Town, Erasmus fast-forwarded to the looming showdown.
He was already speculating about whether Kolisi would be fit to help the Boks chase their Eden Park dream.
Matches between rugby's greatest rivals are always hard-fought and the All Blacks will go flat out to cling onto their remarkable unbeaten record.
The Auckland showdown will be the first time the Boks have played in New Zealand since 2023, after both the 2024 Rugby Championship matches took place in SA.
It will also be the first time the Boks face their arch-rivals at their Eden Park fortress since 2013, with SA's last win at the iconic venue coming way back in 1937.
SA have visited the ground on just five occasions over the years, with the other Test matches on New Zealand soil taking place in Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Albany and at Auckland’s other stadium, Mount Smart.
New Zealand’s overall record at Eden Park, after a shock defeat against France in 1994, stands at played 50 Tests, with 48 wins and two draws.
When the Rugby Championship fixtures were released, rugby followers around the world marked Saturday's showdown as a red-letter day on their calendars.
Erasmus can boast of a proud record of four consecutive victories over the All Blacks, including a momentous win in the 2023 World Cup final.
However, the Boks have played just once in New Zealand since 2019, when they slumped to a 35-20 defeat at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland.
Clearly it will require something special from the Boks to breach Eden Park's formidable walls.
The Herald
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