Why the Fourth Springboks vs All Blacks Clash in Baltimore Means More Than Just a Test

• The Springboks and All Blacks face off in Baltimore on 12 September in the final game of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry
• Dave Rennie's selection for the dead rubber raises questions about New Zealand's rebuilding plans under pressure
• Rassie Erasmus has admitted the series was more about finding a first-choice squad than chasing outright wins

The Springboks and All Blacks close out their Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Test series in Baltimore this weekend, but the final match carries weight well beyond the result on the scoreboard.

South Africa have already secured the series, meaning New Zealand can only salvage a 2-2 draw and share the RGR trophy. That reality makes Saturday's fixture at once a "dead rubber" and a revealing window into where both coaches' heads are at ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

All Blacks under pressure to rebuild

For Dave Rennie, the Baltimore Test looks less like a run-on game and more like an audition. Brought in to restore New Zealand Rugby after Scott Robertson's exit, Rennie is working against a contract that reportedly runs "no later than" the end of the 2027 World Cup, according to Planet Rugby.

His team selection signals a deliberate stress test of the All Blacks' squad depth. Codie Taylor has been recalled to captain the side after Ardie Savea picked up an injury in the third Test.

Fletcher Newell, Patrick Tuipuloto, Ethan Blackadder, Richie Mo'unga, and Anton Lienert-Brown all come into the starting XV for the first time this series, while Ethan de Groot and Josh Lord return after exiting the first Test through concussion protocols.

The message is clear: Rennie needs answers, and he needs them now.

Rassie already eyeing the next chapter

On the South African side, head coach Rassie Erasmus has been unusually candid about what this entire series has meant for the Boks.

"I have to be honest, we tried to build our player depth more than going for outright wins in the tournament. Obviously, we'll park the tournament now and only play it in November again. A lot will happen between now and then. But we know we have plenty to fix," he said.

With that mindset intact, the fourth Test could serve as a closing assessment before Rassie locks in his preferred matchday squad for World Cup preparations. Only two changes have been made from the side that beat New Zealand in Soweto on 5 September: Damian Willemse comes in for Cheslin Kolbe, and Morne van den Berg earns a starting berth.

Erasmus, whose contract with South Africa Rugby runs until 2031, has the luxury of a longer runway than Rennie. The Springboks are the sport's only four-time world champions and are chasing history as the first nation to win three consecutive World Cup titles. Baltimore, then, is less an endpoint and more the opening move in that campaign.

Source: Briefly News