It still is rugby's greatest rivalry - All Blacks vs Springboks. It has been so since they first met in 1921 and still is so. The top-rated team against the team rated second, the two are still battling for the world Crown. And so it will be in Bloemfontein this Saturday.

It's a sad state of affairs when this match is not an instant sell-out. Ticket prices are now nearly a quarter of what they were for the recent Lions' Tests but still it seems that Vodacom Park will not be full. It would be sad if overkill killed the spirit of these great contests.

It will be a great contest. The All Blacks have a strong sniff of the Tri-Nations after beating the Wallabies; the Springboks have come off a series win over the Lions and would love to add the Tri-Nations to that success and the World Cup. The last time they won the Tri-Nations was in 2004.

The Springboks had a great chance last year and blew it. To win the Tri-Nations it helps greatly if you win away from home. They won in Dunedin but then lost to New Zealand and Australia in South Africa, the first time they had lost two Tri-Nations matches in South Africa in a season. Their defeat at the hands of the All Blacks at Newlands, 0-19, was abject. That left New Zealand titleholders yet again - for the fourth time in a row and the ninth time in the 13 years of the competition's existence.

This time South Africa have the golden opportunity of kicking off at home and on the Highveld. The All Blacks were wobbly against Australia - but they won. Good teams have a habit of winning and they do not break the habit just because they are wobbly. Having kept their habit intact they are likely to be stronger this time, Highveld or no Highveld.

The Springboks know that they, too, can win but they will need to be more serious about it than they were against the Lions, no frivolities with playing personnel. That they will be more serious is not obvious as they have a squad with three scrumhalves and three who can play flyhalf and three who can play hooker. That seems as if they are covering the cover, but at the expense of other positions.

Both sides need great resolve on defence. The All Blacks let through a simple try against Australia while the Springboks let in three in the last Test against the Lions without scoring even one themselves. Of the two sides the All Blacks are more likely to score tries, which means that the Springboks will have a greater need to defend well - with organisation and determination.

Set-piece possession remains important. The All Black scrumming won the battle against the Wallabies but the Wallabies were, at least initially better in the line-outs when the New Zealanders lost three of their first five throws.

The tackle, rugby's game of chance, will, of course, be crucial, and here the All Blacks could well have the upper hand, especially if there is hesitation at the clean-out..

The stage is set for another great encounter - a true Test match, a test of will and sinew, mind and heart with a kind bounce here or there to help.

Players to watch:

For South Africa: Bryan Habana, always exciting, always a threat. Even on defence he is a threat as the All Black backs will have to think twice about passing in his direction for fear of an intercept. Pierre Spies whose speed and strength make him capable of wonders.

For New Zealand: Sitiveni Sivivatu with the long stride, deceptive speed and clever feet - a great runner from broken play. Lanky new boy Isaac Ross who runs so well with the ball - the man who calls the line-outs and will be up against Victor Matfield on Saturday.

Head to Head: All along there are interesting individual contests in the midst of the huge contest.

The most telling could be between the two flyhalves, Ruan Pienaar and Stephen Donald - both talented players, neither up to now secure in the position in the team. Both kick for goal, Donald more reliably than Pienaar though Pienaar's goal-kicking in the first Lions Test was excellent. In the second Test it was awry and Morné Steyn was sent on to win the match. Steyn is there again as back-up. Both kick well out of hand but the All Blacks do not have the sort of long-distance boot that Frans Steyn has. The boot will be important in this Test.

The other halves also present an interesting contest - Brendon Leonard against Fourie du Preez. Both are men who can have a profound effect on the game, as Du Preez certainly will. But it is at running with the ball that the contest may well be interesting, for both are quick, incisive runners.

After his great display in the first Test against the Lions' Phil Vickery, Tendai Mtawarira's battle with Neemia Tialata will be interesting. There is also the contest of the two toughies in the hooking berth - Andrew Hore and Bismarck du Plessis, both strong, both aggressive, both liable to concede penalties.

Also in the forwards there is the collision of the hard men - Brad Thorn against Bakkies Botha.

The contest for the tackle ball is regarded as crucial. Here the contest will be mainly between new man Heinrich Brüssow and the highly experienced, highly rated, iconic Richie McCaw.

Recent Results

Before readmission South Africa led New Zealand in the count of tests won. Now the All Blacks lead, as recent years have been good for them.

2008: New Zealand won 19-0 at Newlands
2008: South Africa won 30-28 in Dunedin
2008: New Zealand won 19-8 in Wellington
2007: New Zealand won 33-6 in Christchurch
2007: New Zealand won 26-21 in Durban
2006: South Africa won 21-20 in Rustenburg
2006: South Africa won 45-26 in Pretoria
2006: New Zealand won 35-1`7 in Wellington
2005: New Zealand won 31-17 in Dunedin
2005: South Africa won 22-16 at Newlands
2004: South Africa won 40-26 in Johannesburg
2004: New Zealand won 23-21 in Christchurch
2003: New Zealand won 19-11 in Dunedin
2003: New Zealand won 52-16 in Pretoria
2002: New Zealand won 30-23 in Durban
2002: New Zealand won 41-20 in Wellington
2001: New Zealand won 26-15 in Auckland
2000: South Africa won 46-40 in Johannesburg
2000: New Zealand won 25-12 in Christchurch
2001: New Zealand won 12-3 at Newlands

iafrica.com Prediction: Despite history, despite All Black performances on the Highveld, we predict that South Africa will win but by fewer than 10.

Teams

South Africa: 15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Ruan Pienaar, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (captain), 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Ryan Kankowski, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Morné Steyn, 22 Wynand Olivier.

New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Joe Rokocoko , 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Brendon Leonard, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Owen Franks, 18 Jason Eaton, 19 Kieran Read, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Luke McAlister, 22 Cory Jane .

Date: Saturday, July 25
Venue: Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Expected weather: Sunny, but very nippy. No rain expected. High 14°C, low -1°C
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Tim Hayes (Wales)
TMO: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)

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