With the first Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Test at Ellis Park on Saturday, Rugby365's Wynona Louw identifies five All Blacks who carry the most threat — and the most intrigue. Cam Lloyd Love's playmaking partnership with Jordie Barrett tormented the Sharks, and his collision with Feinberg-Mngomezulu shapes up as the marquee individual duel. Barrett himself gets a spotlight for his tactical kicking, hard running and that long pass that unlocks the backline. At 12, Louw frames the Jordie-versus-De Allende contest as arguably the world's two best midfielders going head-to-head, very different in style but equally consequential. On the wing, uncapped-against-the-Boks Moorby has the line-breaking ability and defensive nous to trouble Kolbe and Arendse, though Ellis Park will be a significant step up from what he's faced so far. The wildcard is Roigard — clearly their best nine, but returning from a month without game time and jumping straight into a Springbok test of physicality. Louw is measured rather than alarmist: the concern is rust, not quality. Up front, loosehead De Groot's open-play presence gets a flag, though Louw acknowledges he's walking into the Boks' front-row buzzsaw.
Five All Blacks who could shape the Ellis Park Test
Rugby365 profiles the five All Blacks most likely to shape Saturday's Ellis Park Test — Love, Jordie Barrett, Moorby, Roigard and De Groot — weighing their threats against specific Springbok match-ups and the unknowns each brings into the fixture.
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