Rugby: Dunedin good to home side

By Hayden Meikle

All Black captain Tana Umaga leads the new Kapa o Pango haka at Carisbrook in 2005.

Springbok centre John Gainsford screws a handful of mud into All Black lock Colin Meads' face in 1965.

Springbok halfback Ricky Januarie celebrates victory in 2008.

Action in the 1921 test at Carisbrook.

This is the ninth time the All Blacks have played the Springboks in Dunedin. Hayden Meikle revisits the previous eight clashes.

1. August 13, 1921
All Blacks ... 13
South Africa ... 5

Crowd: 25,000.

All Black talking point: Life begins at 40. Just ask Ned Hughes. He played in the front row in his first test in 13 years. He became - and will remain - the oldest All Black.

Springbok talking point: The pack included "Boy" Morkel and "Baby" Michau.

The context: A great rivalry begins.

2. July 14, 1956
All Blacks ... 10
Springboks ... 6

Crowd: 40,000.

All Black talking point: Wellington winger Ron Jarden scored an intercept try and kicked two conversions to seal the win.

Springbok talking point: Winger Jan du Preez, on debut, was carried from the field in the second half with a broken leg.

The context: Many still regard the 1956 tour as the greatest of all. This was the first of four tests. The All Blacks won an extraordinary series 3-1.

3. August 21, 1965
All Blacks ... 13
Springboks ... 0

Crowd: 34,500.

All Black talking point: Mighty lock Colin Meads was in top form and earned a record-equalling 31st test cap. The All Black record now stands at 109 (Richie McCaw).

Springbok talking point: Midfield back John Gainsford earned a record-equalling 28th test cap. The Springbok record now stands at 110 (Victor Matfield).

The context: Hardly a thumping, in today's money, but it was then the biggest win for the All Blacks over their great rivals.

4. July 9, 1994
All Blacks ... 22
Springboks ... 14

Crowd: 41,000.

All Black talking point: Three consecutive All Black losses are as rare as hen's teeth, but they went into this game having been beaten by England at the end of 1993 and then twice to the French at home.

Springbok talking point: Leading up to this opening test, the Boks had played King Country, Southland and the Hanan Shield Districts. Ah, the good old days.

The context: This was the first visit to New Zealand by the Springboks in the post-apartheid era. Barbed wire was, thankfully, not needed.

5. July 10, 1999
All Blacks ... 28
South Africa ... 0

Crowd: 41,000.

All Black talking point: Wait, do those All Black socks have THREE stripes? Nothing to do with that German apparel company, is it?

Springbok talking point: A depleted team, guided by green inside backs, suffered a record (by any nation) Springbok defeat.

The context: Coach John Hart and captain Taine Randell must have thought things were back on track after an appalling season in 1998. Er, not quite.

6. August 9, 2003
All Blacks ... 19
South Africa ... 11

Crowd: 30,000.

All Black talking point: John Mitchell's "journey" continued with a fairly uninspiring win on the back of Carlos Spencer's fine kicking display.

Springbok talking point: Roly-poly prop Richard Bands scored one of the great Carisbrook tries when he scampered nearly 50m to the line.

The context: Mitchell raised some eyebrows with bulk changes to his starting XV. See, Ted didn't invent rotation.

7. August 27, 2005
All Blacks ... 31
South Africa ... 27

Crowd: 29,500.

All Black talking point: "Kapa o pango kia whakawhenua au i ahau!" The All Blacks unveiled their spine-tingling new haka, complete with a throat-slitting gesture.

Springbok talking point: Speed king Bryan Habana was on his way to scoring a dramatic late try when he was tipped into touch by All Black captain Tana Umaga.

The context: Seven straight test losses at Carisbrook for the South Africans, who could have sealed the Tri-Nations with a win in this test.

8. July 12, 2008
South Africa ... 30
All Blacks ... 28

Crowd: 32,000.

All Black talking point: They lost.

Springbok talking point: Halfback Ricky Januarie, all 80kg and 1.70m of him, scored a match-winning try four minutes from the end.

The context: It had been a tetchy week. The Springboks questioned the "illegal" scrum tactics of the All Blacks; the home team responded by suggesting the Africans enjoyed the odd high tackle. In the end, enigmatic Springbok coach Peter de Villiers had the last laugh.

• All matches at Carisbrook.
• The Springboks have also played Otago six times in Dunedin: 1921 (won 11-3), 1937 (won 47-7), 1956 (won 14-9), 1965 (won 8-6), 1981 (won 17-13) and 1994 (lost 19-12).

All Blacks v Springboks
The stats
Played: 83 tests.
All Black wins: 46.
Springbok wins: 34.
Draws: 3.
All Black points: 1559 (18.78 per test).
Springbok points: 1286 (15.49 per test).