Springboks captain Siya Kolisi is gunning for a first Freedom Cup triumph since 2009, as he prepares to lead his side out against the All Blacks. 

South Africa have beaten their arch-rivals New Zealand in three of the past five meetings, including last year’s World Cup final, but they haven’t lifted the Freedom Cup since 2009.

Furthermore, their last victory over the All Blacks at Ellis Park came back in 2014.

“The Boks have a lot to play for”

This is a completely different Springboks side though, and Kolisi believes they are ready to change their fortunes at Ellis Park.

“They’ve beaten us a lot in Johannesburg, but the Boks have a lot to play for, and that’s our focus as a team, “the iconic captain said.

“Playing in South Africa makes a huge difference. It motivates us because we are playing for the people of South Africa and that drives us immensely as a team.

The All Blacks are highly motivated for the match, but so are we. A good result will take us a step closer to winning the Freedom Cup.”

Battle of the back-row

The Springboks come into the game with a fresh-looking back-row unit. Kolisi returns to the side following his omission last time out, and former Leicester Tigers powerhouse Jasper Wiese returns to the side following suspension.

Elsewhere, emerging talent Ben-Jason Dixon also returns to the starting back-row. Like Kolisi, he was rested for Test Two, but gave a very good account of himself in Test One against the Wallabies.

Commenting on his back-row colleagues, Kolisi said: “Ben-Jason has a massive work rate, and we all know what Jasper can do.”

He added: “It is exciting for us to see the competition in the squad for places with a guy like Ben-Jason coming through the ranks.”

They face some tough opponents though, with the All Blacks also deploying an incredibly strong back-row. Current World Player of the Year, Ardie Savea, and Ethan Blackadder both retain their spots in the starting XV, but they are also bolstered by the return of former captain Sam Cane; who Kolisi was quick to praise.

He’s been a warrior for them for so many years, so it’s going to be a proper battle, especially among the loose forwards and in the set pieces.”

‘Tapping in’ to Tony Brown’s knowledge

The Springboks also hold a trump card up their sleeves, with former All Black Tony Brown on their coaching staff. Brown won 18 caps for the All Blacks during his playing career, but after transitioning into coaching has not taken up a role with the national side.

New Zealand’s loss has clearly been South Africa’s gain though, and Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick revealed they have ‘tapped into’ his insider knowledge on the All Blacks psyche.

Tony understands their DNA,” said Stick.

“He played for them, and he’s coached alongside some of their coaches, so yes, we’ve tapped into that.

“They are a team that take pride in what they do, so we are expecting them to come hard at us, but we’ll be ready for that. They keep the ball in hand as long as possible, but we are well-conditioned and know what to expect.”