All Blacks and Springboks prepare to clash after tension-filled path to showdown

JOHANNESBURG – Marketed as “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry,” the four-match series between South Africa and New Zealand has been preceded by spiky exchanges over the teams’ contrasting playing styles, stoking tensions before Saturday’s first test in Johannesburg.

The incident-filled rivalry stretches back more than a century, and the first tour series between the countries in 30 years has quickly acquired a combative edge ahead of the clash at Ellis Park.

New Zealand’s opening three matches against provincial opposition have all featured the All Blacks’ high-tempo running game, an approach that has delighted purists and drawn a sharp contrast with South Africa’s emphasis on forward power, set pieces and tactical kicking.