Eben Etzebeth admits his extended spell on the sidelines was frustrating, but believes his time away from rugby also gave him an opportunity to improve his game as the Springboks prepare for the decisive Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test against New Zealand in Baltimore.

Morne van den Berg’s impressive return from injury has earned him a starting berth against New Zealand, with Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus making two changes for the fourth Test of a scintillating series against the All Blacks.

Jasper Wiese says the Springboks’ preparation for their latest battle with New Zealand will not change because of the absence of All Blacks captain Ardie Savea, despite acknowledging the influence of one of the world’s leading loose forwards.

With the series on the line, victory remains the overriding objective for the Springboks, but Rassie Erasmus believes the fourth Test against New Zealand in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry offers his side an opportunity to address several areas of their game that have fallen short of the standards they expect.

Once a perturbed man, Rassie Erasmus believes the Springboks have made significant progress in building squad depth this season and says there are currently no areas of major concern.

Rassie Erasmus hailed the Springboks’ 29-24 victory over the All Blacks at FNB Stadium as an “epic” encounter, but was quick to remind everyone that the job is far from finished.

The FNB Stadium hoodoo was finally put to bed in front of 85,976 roaring fans as the Springboks secured their first-ever victory at the Calabash in a cauldron of noise in the heart of Soweto on Saturday. The Boks held their nerve to claim a memorable 29-24 victory over the All Blacks in Rugby’s Greatest

Saturday’s Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry clash at FNB Stadium offers the Springboks more than just the opportunity to take a 2-1 lead over the All Blacks in the four-Test series.

For Yaqeen Ahmed, the DHL Stormers’ season launch was another reminder of just how quickly his life has changed.