Rugby Union Weekly

New Zealand v South Africa: Rugby's greatest rivalry

10.23.2023 - By BBC Radio 5 livePlay

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To kickstart World Cup final week Sara sits down with All Blacks great Andrew Mehrtens and former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad to look at the rivalry between these two great rugby nations. They start with their most famous encounter, the 1995 World Cup final, as Mehrts recalls meeting Nelson Mandela minutes before kick-off and the issues in the New Zealand camp during final week. We hear about the All Blacks winning their first Test series in South Africa one year later, and look ahead to the final this weekend as the winner becomes the first nation to win four World Cups. Skinstad explains what would it mean for the Boks to go back-to-back and gives a fascinating insight into head coach Jacques Nienaber.

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