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Cape Town is a prime hunting ground for New Zealand, who must beat reigning world champions South Africa there on Saturday to have any chance of retaining the rugby championship.
The Springboks beat the All Blacks 31-27 last Saturday to take an eight-point lead halfway through the annual six-round southern hemisphere competition.
The south-western coastal city of Cape Town has hosted 10 matches between the rugby union giants and New Zealand has won seven of them, including four out of five in the professional era.
AFP Sport looks back at five things to know before this highly anticipated confrontation, which will be watched by a crowd of 60,000 people.
Record offer
South Africa are looking to make it four straight wins against New Zealand for the first time in the professional era after beating their biggest rivals in a thriller in Johannesburg last weekend.
The winning streak began a month before the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, with the Springboks capitalising on All Blacks second-row Scott Barrett’s red card to win 35-7 in London.
The two teams met again in the World Cup final and New Zealand again had to play more than half the match with one man after captain Sam Cane was sent off, leading to a 12-11 defeat.
Sacha omnipresent
Fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 22, a Springbok discovery of the season, is the only player still present for the 23rd day of the world champions this year.
He will be on the bench in Cape Town, having started three of the last seven internationals and been a substitute in the other four.
He is the Springboks’ top scorer with 49 points from 14 conversions and seven penalties. His closest rival, fly-half Handre Pollard, is his 36 points.
Durban beaten hands down
The Springboks and All Blacks have won 26 games each in South Africa, with one draw, since they first met on a Durban cricket ground 96 years ago.
It was in the Indian Ocean port city that South Africa suffered their most humiliating home defeat, collapsing 57-15 to New Zealand in 2016 at Kings Park Stadium.
But it was not all doom and gloom in Durban for the Springboks, who claimed their biggest ever home win – 17-0 – against the All Blacks.
The last survivors
The Springboks’ Round 23 match in Cape Town features 13 of the players who featured in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final triumph over the All Blacks.
Among them was recalled fly-half Pollard, whose four first-half penalty goals from four attempts proved decisive at the Stade de France.
There are also 13 survivors from Round 23 of the All Blacks, including the Barrett brothers, centre Jordie, captain Scott and replacement fullback Beauden.
Change roles
The same three referees who officiated the Johannesburg Test last Saturday will be involved in the rematch in Cape Town.
But only Australian assistant Jason Way will have the same task, with Ellis Park referee Andrew Brace of Ireland and England assistant Matthew Carley swapping roles.
There will be a change of television match referee (TMO) with Ian Tempest of England taking over from Brian MacNeice of Ireland.
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