Rugby Union Betting Tips For Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry 2026 - All Blacks vs Springboks 2nd Test

We’re heading to Cape Town for the second of four Tests in the series between the All Blacks and Springboks. Before kick-off, make sure you check out all our rugby union betting tips for this game.

It’s almost time for the second Test! The first clash saw a somewhat tight tussle in the first half. However, the All Blacks ran away with things in the second half, scoring three unanswered tries to win 33-16. We’re heading to DHL Stadium in Cape Town for this one, and the BettingTop10 team goes through it all to provide you with the information you need to know.

Odds thanks to VipLuck (accurate at time of publication).

All Blacks

The newly crowned number one team in the world rankings will be buoyed by their win last time out and looking to improve even further. The bookmakers didn’t give them much of a chance in the last game, and we’re seeing similar odds this time.

While the 33-16 scoreline looks good, if you dig a little deeper, there’s plenty of improvement to be made for this team. They conceded 14 penalties, and there were times they clearly struggled with the Springboks’ physicality.

Don’t expect too many changes to the side that won in Johannesburg, and once again, Will Jordan shapes up to be a key player. In the first Test, he scored two tries, taking his overall tally in Tests to 53. Look for the All Blacks to continue to try playing at a fast tempo; this worked well in the first Test.

Springboks

The Springboks won’t take the loss last time out lightly, especially considering it was in front of their home fans. The home side was better in several key areas, but their poor handling and decision-making ultimately let them down.

It looks like Rassie Erasmus is turning to experience for this game. Most notably, we see Handré Pollard replace Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at fly-half. The inclusion of Pollard points towards a more conservative approach, which will hopefully give the home side more stability. 

In a major blow, it looks like Cheslin Kolbe has picked up a hamstring/ ankle injury. There are more injury concerns for the Springboks as well, with Canan Moodie picking up a hamstring injury, Grant Williams picking up an ankle injury, and Ben-Jason Dixon developing concussion symptoms.

Looking at the recent head-to-head clashes between the All Blacks and Springboks, it’s still the Springboks that have the better record. The Springboks have won three of the last five; however, as we already know, the All Blacks won the last time these two teams faced off.

Along with playing the Springboks, the All Blacks have been playing local franchise teams. They have won all those games as well, including on August 26, when they narrowly beat the Lions 41-35. For the Springboks, before this series, they played Argentina in Buenos Aires and won that clash 17-10.

The most vital trends that you should be aware of leading into this match: 

• The Springboks have won five of their six Tests at DHL Stadium, including an 18-12 victory over the All Blacks in 2024.
• The Springboks have not lost consecutive Tests since 2022.
• Roughly half of the Tests between the All Blacks and Springboks have been decided by seven points or fewer.

The head-to-head and spread odds are virtually the same as they were for the first Test. I do expect the Springboks will come back firing, having had a close look at the All Blacks’ tactics last time out. The Springboks did let themselves down in some critical moments.

So, cleaning up in that department will see the home side right in the mix. While the All Blacks did struggle at times against the Springboks in the first Test, they were still good enough for the win, and I think more of the same is in order.

Take the All Blacks to cover the +7.5 spread @ $1.83.

The All Blacks, once again, come into this one as the underdogs, and considering the Springboks haven’t lost back-to-back Tests since 2022, it’s easy to see why. The home side got a chance to look at the All Blacks’ tactics last time out, so it’s unlikely they’ll make the same mistakes twice. Can the Springboks level up this series in Cape Town? We’ll have to wait and see! And while you’re waiting, make sure you check out all the free bets available for this game, to give you some extra value.