Rassie Erasmus has opted for continuity in selection for Saturday's decisive third Test against New Zealand at the FNB Stadium, making only four changes to the side that levelled the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series in Cape Town last weekend.

The most notable shift sees Cheslin Kolbe move to fullback following an injury to Damian Willemse, who took a knock in the first half of the 33–26 victory at DHL Stadium and has been ruled out. Kurt-Lee Arendse comes onto the wing in the only backline alteration, while the front row of Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw returns to the starting XV. Gerhard Steenekamp, Thomas du Toit and Deon Fourie drop to the replacements bench. Handré Pollard also remains unavailable.

"It was always our plan to have a little more continuity in player combinations for this series, and we thought that the players who did the job for us last week really showed composure and did well to stick to the plan and what we wanted to achieve last week," said Erasmus. "Kurt-Lee was unlucky not to play last week after Cheslin recovered from his niggle, so we are pleased to see him back. He is a quality player and his 25 tries in 33 matches so far shows the type of player he is."

Soweto stakes

With the series locked at 1–1 ahead of the finale in Baltimore next week, Saturday's clash at the nearly 100,000-capacity venue carries significant weight. The All Blacks have won a series on South African soil only once in 105 years, and the Springboks will be determined to ensure Dave Rennie's side do not leave with a 2–1 advantage from the domestic leg. The RGR trophy itself remains on the line regardless of the result in Soweto, but bragging rights over the South African fixtures add an extra layer of intensity.

Erasmus acknowledged the galvanising effect of last weekend's defeat on the visitors. "We know how it felt after the first match in Johannesburg, and such a result really galvanises a team, so we have no doubt that they will go full-out to win this Test match before the series finale in the USA next week," he said. "They are one of the two best teams in the world."

The Springboks corrected the errors that cost them in the opening Test, establishing early physical dominance in Cape Town and converting that platform into a controlled performance. Maintaining that composure at the FNB Stadium, with Kolbe's positional switch adding a new dimension at the back, will be central to securing the result that keeps the series advantage in South African hands heading into the final fixture.