South Africa v New Zealand: Everything you need to know

 

                South Africa v New Zealand: Everything you need to know   

          

                New Zealand are on course to complete another  Rugby Championship clean sweep when they visit South Africa in the final  round of fixtures on Saturday.While 2016's perfect tally of 30  points is beyond their reach, victory in Cape Town would represent a  sixth win in as many matches for the All Blacks, who wrapped up a fifth  championship in six years last weekend.Discounting the shortened  format of World Cup years, New Zealand have not failed to win this  competition since the Springboks won the 2009 Tri Nations.And the  outlook appears bleak for this weekend's hosts, with the All Blacks  having racked up their highest ever points total against South Africa  (57) in each of the last two meetings.This year's clash in Albany was particularly humiliating for the Springboks as they failed to score a single point in response.For  New Zealand, this is about adding gloss to their customary dominance of  the championship. For South Africa, the restoration of some pride  against their world-beating opponents will be a priority. HEAD TO HEAD South Africa: 35
New Zealand: 56
Draw: 3 KEY PLAYERS Elton Jantjies  (South Africa): The Springboks are the only team this tournament to  have used just one goal kicker, with Jantjies booting 23 of his 28  attempts. With his side bidding to avoid drawing another blank, his  kicking could be key to keeping South Africa in touch.Beauden  Barrett (New Zealand): The All Blacks' fly-half, meanwhile, has been  central to the side's attacking play, and no player in the championship  has made more carries. Full-back Damian McKenzie is level with Barrett  on 57. THE LINE-UPS South Africa:  Andries Coetzee, Dillyn Leyds, Jesse Kriel, Jan Serfontein, Courtnall  Skosan, Elton Jantjies, Ross Cronje; Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx, Ruan  Dreyer, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du  Toit, Francois Louw.New Zealand: Damian McKenzie, Nehe  Milner-Skudder, Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane, Beauden  Barrett, Aaron Smith; Kane Hames, Dane Coles, Nepo Laulala, Sam  Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Liam Squire, Sam Cane, Kieran Read. PRE-MATCH TALK Springboks  coach Allister Coetzee on the absence of 95-cap Tendai Mtawarira due to  family reasons: "Losing your most experienced player is not ideal, but  family comes first in our caring environment."All Blacks centre  Sonny Bill Williams: "From an individual point of view we want to play  really well but collectively we always try to come together put that  aside and work for the betterment of the team." OPTA STATS - New  Zealand have scored 114 points in their last two games against South  Africa (exactly 57 on each occasion), and are coming off the back of the  biggest win in the history of this fixture (57-0).
 

- The All Blacks have now won five games on the bounce against South  Africa, the last time they won more in succession was an eight-game  streak from 2001 to 2004.
 

- This will be the 10th meeting between these sides at Newlands Stadium;  in none of the previous nine meetings at the venue did either side  score 30+ points; in fact only twice has a side reached 20 points.- New Zealand are the only side yet to lose a scrum on their own feed in this tournament, winning 39 from 39.  

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