The Springboks vs All Blacks 1st Test promises to be a cracker, as New Zealand have had a fair bit of joy at Ellis Park Stadium. They’ve won three of the teams’ last five encounters at the high-altitude venue in Johannesburg. Dave Rennie’s track record in South Africa isn’t bad either.
The Boks, however, are the best in the game – even without skipper Siya Kolisi. Rassie Erasmus waited until the last moment to confirm that Kolisi and Ox Nche hadn’t recovered sufficiently from respective hamstring and knee injuries to feature on Saturday. As has become customary, Pieter-Steph du Toit takes up captaincy duties.
The All Blacks tuned up with three routine victories, not least because Erasmus had gutted the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls sides that took to the field against the tourists. South Africa beat Argentina in their lone warmup game, though both sides were recently in Nations Championship 2026 action. They’re the only teams with a 100% record, and New Zealand trail the Boks on points difference.
Kiwis captain Ardie Savea returns to the fold having sat each of the three warmup fixtures out, as does record try-scorer Will Jordan. Cam Roigard and Damian McKenzie have also received the all-clear to start the blockbuster opening clash.
Read on as we explain how to watch Springboks vs All Blacks for free in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry 2026.
Can you watch Springboks vs All Blacks for free?
Yes. The 1st South Africa vs New Zealand Test is being shown on free-to-air RugbyPass TV in the US.
The game will also be available to watch for free on ThreeNow in New Zealand on tape-delay at 11am NZST on Sunday.
Traveling abroad right now? You can use a VPN to watch South Africa vs New Zealand for free as if you were right at home.
Use a VPN to watch Springboks vs All Blacks live streams
A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it’s back in your home country and unlock your usual streaming services. The best VPN right now? We recommend Surfshark – it does everything and comes with up to 85% off.
How to watch Springboks vs All Blacks live streams in the US
The opening test between the Springboks and All Blacks is available to live stream for FREE on Rugbypass TV in the US.
RugbyPass TV has live coverage of a range of international rugby, including Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry and the Nations Championship, plus on-demand content including full game replays, classic matches and documentaries.
Outside of the US? Use a VPN while you’re traveling away from home to unlock your stream.
How to watch Springboks vs All Blacks live streams in the UK
In the UK, Springboks vs All Blacks is being shown on Sky Sports Action.
Sky Sports packages start at £22 per month for existing Sky subscribers and rise to £35 per month for those without a Sky subscription.
You can also watch Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry unfold via a NOW Sports membership that carries the Sky Sports channels.
If you’re out of the UK but still want to tune in, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your subscriptions from anywhere.
How to watch Springboks vs All Blacks live streams in Australia
In Australia, Springboks vs All Blacks is exclusive to Stan Sport.
Stan Sport costs AU$20/month on top of a Stan subscription, which itself starts at AU$9.99/month.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like Surfshark to watch the action as if you were back home.
How to watch Springboks vs All Blacks live streams in New Zealand
In New Zealand, Sky Sport NZ is showing the Springboks vs All Blacks game on the Sky Sport 1 channel.
You can access Sky Sport through satellite TV or get a live stream, with the Sky Sport Now subscription service starting at NZ$29.99 per day or NZ$59.99 per month.
However, a much better option for this game is free-to-air ThreeNow, which will air a full replay of South Africa vs New Zealand at 11am NZST on Sunday – a far more appealing prospect than a 3.10am wakeup call.
Those outside of New Zealand for any part of the RGR tour can use Surfshark to gain access to their home streaming service.
How to watch Springboks vs All Blacks live streams in South Africa
The Springboks vs All Blacks game is being shown on SuperSport in South Africa.
SuperSport is the home of live rugby in South Africa, including coverage of the Springboks and the United Rugby Championship. You’ll need a DStv access package to watch the game, with prices starting at Rs99/month for the streaming version.
Abroad right now? Use a VPN to tell your device that you’re back home and you’ll be good to go.
How to watch Springboks vs All Blacks live streams in Canada
The Springboks vs All Blacks game is available to watch on Premier Sports in Canada.
A monthly pass costs CA$29.99. You’ll need either the CA$79.99 six-month pass or the CA$139.99/year annual subscription to tune into the whole tournament.
If you’re out of Canada but still want to catch the action, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.
Team News
South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain), 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Andre Esterhuizen, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok
New Zealand: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Josh Moorby, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Luke Jacobson, 6 Tupou Vaa’i, 5 Fabian Holland, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 George Bower, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Anton Segner, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Leroy Carter
What is the Springboks vs All Blacks start time?
The scheduled Springboks vs All Blacks kick-off time on Saturday, August 22 is 5.10pm SAST local time in Johannesburg, which is 8.10am PT / 11.10am ET / 4.10pm BST.
That’s 1.10am AEST / 3.10am NZST on Sunday, August 23 in Australia and New Zealand.
What is the Springboks vs All Blacks head-to-head?
South Africa and New Zealand have contested 110 competitive games. The Springboks have won 43 of them, and the All Blacks 63. Four have ended all-square.
In South Africa, the head-to-head stands at 28-25-1.
Can I watch Springboks vs All Blacks on my mobile?
Of course, most broadcasters have streaming services that you can access through mobile apps or via your phone’s browser. For example, RugbyPass TV has a dedicated app.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
