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Sport Nation
All Blacks refuse to be burdened by history at Eden Park
Sport Nation • September 4th, 2025 2:59 pm
Jordie Barrett | Photo: Photosport
Vice-captain Jordie Barrett admits there's a different feeling in the air in the lead-up to the All Blacks' mammoth match-up with the Springboks on Saturday.
The world champions head to the team's spiritual headquarters of Eden Park with arguably their best chance in years of toppling the hosts, who have been under the blowtorch since their historic loss to the Pumas in Argentina a fortnight ago.
Rassie Erasmus' side have won their past four outings against the men in black, and a fifth would see them write a special chapter in their rugby lore - the first South Africa team to in at 'The Garden' since 1937.
Given the immense stakes relating to the recordbooks, the 73-test international Barrett concedes - outside of a World Cup - this will likely be the biggest occasion he's encountered.
"In recent memory, yes," Barrett told Sport Nation's Afternoons. "With all due respect to other teams we've played against in the past.
"But for obvious reasons, there's massive hype around it and you only have to walk through an airport or down the street to quickly realise what's at stake this weekend.
"It's exciting."
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Of those previous four defeats to the world champions, none have taken place on New Zealand soil. They dropped the World Cup warm-up at Twickenham, were beaten in pool play in France, then fell twice in as many weeks in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Barrett hopes a return to Aotearoa and the comforts of home will help reverse the results on Saturday, where they last beat them at Mt Smart Stadium back in July 2023.
"The last time we beat them was here, so it's nice to be able to be back in New Zealand playing South Africa for a start.
"It's very challenging for obvious reasons, playing South Africa away, a World Cup game and a lead-up at Twickenham.
"It's nice to be back in front of our fans, our people in our stadiums that we're familiar with."
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By virtue of their bonuses, the All Blacks remain atop the Rugby Championship standings by a solitary point, although each of the four teams had a win and a loss to their names.
Given what's on the line and the team's predicament, Barrett is adamant the squad is primed to perform and use the external pressure to their advantage.
"We've got a responsibility to perform at home and try and preserve that record for as long as possible, but we can decide what we want to do with that pressure.
"We take a lot of pride in playing in front of our friends and family and people who back us at home here in New Zealand and it's a place that has a lot of history with all the teams gone before us.
"We're going to try and relish that opportunity and take as much energy from the situation as we can and not let it burden us."
Listen to the full interview:
