On August 31, 2024, the Springboks and All Blacks will continue their famous rivalry in a highly anticipated rugby match at Ellis Park, one of the sport’s most iconic stadiums.

The 16th clash between South Africa and New Zealand in the Rugby Championship will take place at the Johannesburg stadium. This venue has seen some memorable moments in the history of the rivalry between the two nations.

The first time they played at Ellis Park was in 1928, with over 30,000 fans in attendance. This was just the second meeting between the two teams in South Africa, the first being nine days earlier in Durban. In that match, New Zealand defeated South Africa for the first time on South African soil, winning 7-6. Twenty-one years later, the All Blacks returned to Ellis Park and the hosts won 12-6, with tries from Hannes Brewis and Tjol Lategan.

Over time, Ellis Park has been renovated and expanded, with the largest crowd reaching a remarkable 75,000. If the attendance numbers are correct, the 2024 game between the Springboks and All Blacks will push the total attendance at the venue for these games over 1 million.

These two teams have had exciting matches at the stadiums over the years, with only one point typically separating them. The hosts have a slight edge, winning 23 games compared to the visitors’ 22.

South Africa has had success at Ellis Park, winning 9 out of their 15 previous meetings.
One of their most famous victories was in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final when Joel Stransky’s drop goal secured their first title.
Another memorable win was in 2004 when they beat the All Blacks 40-26, scoring seven tries, three of which were by Marius Joubert.

When the All Blacks last played at Ellis Park, they won by a significant margin of 35-23 against South Africa. Both teams are known for playing exciting matches at this venue, with an average of over two tries scored per game by each side.