Overview
- The first Test at Ellis Park is due to kick off on Saturday, August 22, with both teams named and the series starting a four‑match tour that ends in Baltimore.
- South Africa omitted captain Siya Kolisi for precautionary reasons and named Paul de Villiers at openside while Damian de Allende will win his 100th cap.
- New Zealand reinstated Ardie Savea to captain the side and picked Ruben Love at flyhalf after three unbeaten warm‑up wins on tour.
- The result carries ranking consequences because a New Zealand win would return the All Blacks to world No.1 and a big margin would shift the points balance for the series.
- Coaches and captains have identified the breakdown, scrums, lineouts and defence at Johannesburg’s altitude as the decisive battlegrounds, increasing the importance of bench depth and recent late changes to squads.