ABs Stock Watch Post Springboks Test 1

The All Blacks conquered Ellis Park and did so in emphatic fashion, with a commanding scoreline of 33-16 in a result that has stunned the rugby world.

As we have done after every Test match of the All Blacks’ campaign so far, we have another stock-watch article ready to go. With a performance like that, there are plenty of interesting points to discuss.

The Midfield | Stock Up 📈

Off the top, the ABs’ midfield was devastating, and the combination of Jordie Barrett and Quinn Tupaea is quickly proving itself to be one of the best duos in the world. Barrett was the best player in a black jersey for me, leading the side in tackles and turnovers while constantly making timely plays, like the strip on Malcolm Marx.

Tupaea put up a very solid shift himself, making plenty of tackles and leading the kick-chase line. His shining moment was a 50/22 in the second half, which was a key part of the All Blacks’ major momentum swing.

Now, I’m not saying we have the next Smith x Nonu combination on our hands, but this duo is truly becoming something special.

Quinn Tupaea of New Zealand in the line, New Zealand All Blacks v France, 2026 Nations Championship rugby union match at One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand on Saturday 4 July 2026. © Photo: Craig Butland / Photosport

Starting Front Row | Stock Down 📉

We knew the Springboks were going to bring it up front, and they did exactly that. However, the starting front row seemingly failed to front up.

Starting with Ethan de Groot, he was flat-out dominated at scrum time. It was frustrating to watch at the time, but after finding out he had been carrying an injury from early in the match, and with Rennie alluding to him being sick in the press conference, it does provide some context as to why it was such a tough outing for the loosehead prop.

Codie Taylor was another one who had a bad day at the office. He was part of the unit that was dominated at scrum time, was not able to offer much around the park and was once again stung by breakdown penalties, which are becoming a regular occurrence.

Finally, Tyrel Lomax was not quite as average as the other two, but he was still part of a unit that was dominated at the set piece and will be wanting another crack to turn that trend around in Cape Town.

Bench Front Row | Stock Up 📈

With Ethan de Groot leaving the field in the 37th minute, George Bower was called upon earlier than expected, and from his inclusion onwards, the All Blacks began to wrestle back control of the physical side of the game.

As mentioned, the scrum was going backwards, and during open-play collisions, the front rowers were being dominated. Then, once Bower was joined by his fellow bench front rowers, Fletcher Newell and Asafo Aumua, the tide really turned.

In the game-defining moment, after being asked to muscle up against yet another Springboks scrum inside their own 22, George Bower said he asked the back five “for all their herbs”. When they did, the reserve front row translated that into a dominant scrum and a penalty against the feed.

From there, the scrum remained stable in all situations, while the likes of Aumua and Bower made their force felt around the field. Their power was really shown when they laid out South Africa’s captain, Pieter-Steph du Toit, with a combination tackle that set the tone for the rest of the collisions in the game.

It was such a refreshing change to see the All Blacks bench change the game, rather than the Springboks reserves fronting up and taking control. Most of that was due to the trio of front rowers who were injected into the game in the second half.

George Bower of the Crusaders during the Super Rugby Pacific Qualifying Final Rugby match, Crusaders Vs Blues at One NZ Stadium, New Zealand, 6th June 2026. Copyright photo: John Davidson / www.photosport.nz

Arial Battle | Stock Down 📉

One of the biggest worries for me that could translate into Cape Town was the battle in the skies. Everyone knew the Springboks were going to put up plenty of high balls, and that plan proved to be effective.

The All Blacks were flat-out dominated when contesting for the ball by the likes of Damian Willemse, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Cheslin Kolbe. No doubt, this will be something the Springboks are ready to deploy again in Cape Town.

The Coaching Staff | Stock Up 📈

We will close out with a brief positive, and that is the All Blacks coaching staff, who were able to deploy their game plan effectively against the best team in the world. There is no doubt the side is playing for their coaches, and the energy surrounding the team feels like something we have not seen since 2023. That is a very exciting prospect.