Overview
- The four-Test series is tied up for a final match after South Africa took a 2-1 lead and will meet New Zealand in the deciding Test at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on 12 September.
- Springbok forwards have driven South Africa’s wins with dominant scrums, a perfect lineout display and a maul and scrum penalty try that produced match-defining scores.
- Jasper Wiese will start at No.8 as the Boks retain the forward pack that excelled in Soweto, and Wiese’s loose‑forward trio with Siya Kolisi and Pieter‑Steph du Toit has set a team record for starts together.
- New Zealand have created more linebreaks and tries across the tour but failed to convert pressure into points, and the All Blacks conceded 12 penalties in the third Test including a penalty try, prompting coaches to demand cleaner discipline and crisper finishing.
- Key injuries shape the match: All Blacks captain Ardie Savea is ruled out with a dislocated shoulder and Springbok wing Cheslin Kolbe has a broken jaw, raising the stakes for set-piece battles and squad depth as both teams manage fatigue on a compressed schedule.