All Blacks vs Springboks: Ardie Savea and Siya Kolisi Link Up Ahead of Greatest Rivalry Series
- All Blacks captain Ardie Savea posted pictures from a church visit alongside Springboks skipper Siya Kolisi in Sandton
- The two rugby rivals have built a close friendship off the pitch, with Savea referring to Kolisi as his 'brother in Christ'
- The captains are set to face each other in four Greatest Rivalry test matches across South Africa and the United States
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All Blacks captain Ardie Savea and Springboks skipper Siya Kolisi put their fierce on-field rivalry aside to attend a church service together in Sandton, with Savea sharing images of the outing on his Instagram account.
The two captains visited Rivers Church in Sandton, where they took part in praise and worship and heard what Savea described as a thought-provoking message.
"Nothing better than being in the presence of the lord with my brother in Christ," Savea wrote in the caption accompanying his post.
Brothers off the field
The visit is the latest sign of a bond that has grown steadily between the two captains. Speaking ahead of his 100th Test match appearance last year, Savea spoke warmly about the relationship between the All Blacks and their South African counterparts.
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"Huge respect to the Springboks," Savea said. "To be able to go out there first and be named to play against the Springboks in this test match is a great challenge. And something that you know is going to be hard. But something for all of us to work towards."
He added: "We're just brothers off the field; we represent two different countries that you know want to get the result."
The All Blacks are currently in South Africa ahead of the Greatest Rivalry series, a four-match contest between the two nations scheduled across the coming weeks.
Greatest Rivalry Test schedule
The series kicks off on 22 August at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, followed by a second test on 29 August at DHL Stadium in Cape Town. The third match takes place on 5 September at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. The series concludes on 12 September at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, United States.
Savea and Kolisi will captain their respective sides in all four encounters, maintaining what has become one of rugby's most compelling leadership rivalries, one that, off the pitch at least, looks more like a brotherhood.
Springboks star ruled out of the season
Briefly News also reported that a Springboks star has suffered a season-ending injury, which means he is set to be out for a long period in 2026.
The South African rugby star's injury comes as bad news for both his club and the Springboks, as he's now expected to undergo surgery in a few days.
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Source: Briefly News
