Overview
- The Springboks defeated the All Blacks 29-24 in Soweto on Sept. 5 to take a 2-1 lead in the four-Test series.
- Coach Rassie Erasmus named only two changes on Monday, restoring Damian Willemse at fullback and promoting Morné van den Berg to start at scrumhalf to keep continuity through the backs.
- Cheslin Kolbe suffered a fractured jaw in Johannesburg and did not travel to the United States, reducing South Africa’s backline options and forcing the Willemse switch.
- New Zealand arrived in Baltimore with several injury absences and coaching staff have publicly acknowledged they must fix scrum and set-piece deficiencies that handed South Africa penalties and a penalty try.
- Both teams flew straight to the US after the Soweto Test and will face a tight turnaround before kickoff on Sept. 12, a compressed schedule that raises recovery and selection trade‑offs and shapes World Cup preparation.