It will take a team effort by the Springboks to claim a third consecutive win over the All Blacks on Saturday when the two powerhouses of world rugby meet in Johannesburg in the first of their two Rugby Championship Tests in South Africa.
But the Boks will also rely on key players to give them momentum to put themselves in a position for a third win in the tournament at Ellis Park (5pm start).
Ahead of head coach Rassie Erasmus’ team announcement tomorrow, Independent Newspapers looks at five players who could be crucial to the Boks’ cause.
The Malmesbury Missile
The engine of Pieter-Steph du Toit on the highveld will have to run the same way it did in last year’s World Cup final in Paris.
He will be crucial to the Boks’ defensive efforts, and it won’t matter where Erasmus decides to select him. He’s been juggling the No 5 and No 7 jersey in the absence of some senior line-out callers, and if RG Snyman is not ready to partner Eben Etzebeth, Du Toit could fill that No 5 role again.
The Springboks will want him as a loose forward so that he can mark the likes of the Barrett brothers and the All Black loose forwards.
On your Marx ...
Whether he starts or is played off the bench, hooker Malcolm Marx has always been a thorn in the side of the Kiwis.
He missed last year’s World Cup final through injury and will want to be in the thick of the action to make up for that.
Marx is all too familiar with the demands of Ellis Park and although he only recently returned from an injury, he will be raring to go. His line-out throwing will be crucial to the setting up of Bok rolling mauls, while his work at the breakdown often wins penalties for points or to relieve pressure.
Anchoring the scrums
The scrum is probably the set piece the Springbok pack will look forward to the most – the chance to push the All Blacks back with eight versus eight.
Frans Malherbe will be licking his lips at the chance to sink his shoulder into whomever the Kiwis bring along to replace Ethan de Groot, who will miss the Bok Tests with a neck injury. He has been the one scrummager to front up to the likes of Malherbe.
While Erasmus must still name his side, the tighthead should be on the inside lane for a start and to turn the screws on his opponent from the first scrum.
Speedy service on the attack
If the Springbok are going to continue evolving their attacking game plan, a speedy and accurate scrumhalf is needed.
That is where Grant Williams comes in. He provides the perfect utility option on the bench should Erasmus opt for a 6-2 Bomb Squad split among the replacements, but he will be burning to start as well.
The conditions at Ellis Park should give the Boks the platform to continue attacking like they’ve started the Championship. Williams behind a pack moving forward can give the Bok attack another dimension.
Another test for the young one
This will arguably be the biggest test for newbie Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in his career so far, should he get the nod from Erasmus and his assistant coaches to wear the No 10 jersey.
He hasn’t really set a foot wrong yet in his international career and this will just be another stepping stone to see if he is ready for what the big stage demands from him as the flyhalf and the guy in command of the attack.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu will be primed for the opportunity to play an attacking brand of rugby against the Kiwis to see exactly where is at in his young career.