Michael Cheika says the All Blacks’ two-match ‘series’ against the Springboks in September will be “really pivotal” for Scott Robertson’s men.

The world’s top two teams meet at Eden Park in Auckland on 6 September and at the Cake Tin in Wellington a week later in a Freedom Cup match-up that could also determine the winners of the Rugby Championship.

TheBoks have won their last four matches against the All Blacks, including the 2023 World Cup final in Paris and both Rugby Championship encounters in South Africa last year.

“It’s going to be huge,” Cheika said on the DSPN podcast with Martin Devlin. “I love watching New Zealand play, I hate playing against them just quietly because they’re so good, right.

“I’ve had a huge respect for a long time, a huge respect as much as I’ve had a battle with them over the years on and off the field.

“A huge respect for the way they play the game, always have since I started watching them play.”

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The former Wallabies and Argentina coach said Robertson’s side can set the tone for 2026 – when the All Blacks undertake a full tour of South Africa for the first time since 1996 – by beating the Boks their own way.

“I feel like it’s a really pivotal series for New Zealand against South Africa, those two matches in the championship.

“South Africa have had the domination over everyone over these last few years. It’s a real opportunity for New Zealand on home soil to take them on but in two ways.

“It’s going to be an important series for them. Both the two matches this year and also the bigger series they will be playing next year.”

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