It’s official then. This won’t be a ‘friendly’ between the Springboks and All Blacks at Twickenham — as if it ever were likely to be anything other than full blood and thunder commitment.

The Boks named, if not their strongest possible team, then as close to it on Monday, for the match that marks the last before the defence of their Rugby World Cup title officially starts.

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And on Wednesday All Blacks coach Ian Foster reciprocated by naming a full-strength team to meet the old foes.

When the team left New Zealand, Foster, in his last few months as coach regardless of the outcome in France, was unequivocal that the Twickenham clash would feature his strongest possible lineup.

“I won’t be protecting anyone,” Foster said. “There will be no sentiment about trying to put people in cotton wool. You don’t win World Cups by putting people in cotton wool.”

Veteran lock Sam Whitelock, who missed July’s contest in Auckland, will play his 146th Test. He is closing in on Richie McCaw’s record of 148.

Flank Shannon Frizell and lock Brodie Retallick are missing through injury from New Zealand’s 35-20 win over the Boks during the Rugby Championship, due to injury. But otherwise, it’s an All Black side bursting with talent and power. And they have split the bench six/two between forwards and backs, mirroring the Boks’ usual tactic. 

Richie Mo’unga will lead the line from flyhalf, Aaron Smith will pull the strings at scrumhalf and wing Will Jordan is set to make his ghosting runs from the outside.

Throw in the Barrett brothers — Scott at lock, Jordie (centre) and Beauden at fullback — who make up a fifth of the starting team, and you have a formidable unit.

All Blacks hooker Dane Coles (left) and No 8 Ardie Savea will resume hostilities against the Springboks at Twickenham on Friday. (Photo: Joe Allison/Getty Images)

History and respect

Twickenham had better strap up because this will be a full-blooded affair. The World Cup can wait for 80-plus minutes because this clash is about history and respect. There is too much of that between the old rivals to make it anything else.

Bok lock Eben Etzebeth, who is not a man prone to using hyperbole while also not a man for using three words when one will do, made it clear.

“We are playing in the Springbok jersey at one of the top stadiums in the world against a team with which we share one of the greatest rivalries, so this is not a warm-up match for us, it is a Test match,” said Etzebeth.

“We’ll give everything this week and we’ll worry about the World Cup after the game. If things go well for us, it could also give us confidence going into the World Cup, so this is a massive game for us.”

New Zealand are clearly in the same mindset. And for good reason. For both teams, their World Cup campaigns start on Friday at Twickenham. They couldn’t have tougher opposition to smash out the cobwebs and test their physical and mental fortitude.

And it will swell coffers.

At £55 (R1,150) per adult and £28 (R600) for under-16s, a Twickenham full house could generate more than R80-million in ticket sales alone, which excludes the broadcast rights for the match. Obviously, there is a fee payable to the Rugby Football Union and Twickenham Stadium, but the take-home income for each union will still be in the tens of millions of rands.

All Blacks No 8 Ardie Savea expects a Bok backlash after New Zealand beat South Africa 35-20 at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland in July. (Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Questions and answers

Regardless of the score, this match will provide answers and create new questions for the players and coaches. Winning or losing won’t define either’s World Cup campaigns but it’s a Springbok versus All Black clash. Winning and losing always matters.

Veteran All Black hooker Dane Coles, who has been up close and personal with Bok heavyweights for more than a decade, sang from Etzebeth’s hymnsheet.

“The World Cup is not going anywhere. It just puts a real clear focus for us to worry about playing the Boks at Twickenham, and then we can worry about the World Cup after that,” Coles said this week.

“It gives us a good standard and they’re coming off a good win against Wales and we’re looking forward to it.”

The All Blacks’ Rugby Championship win in July was built on a brilliant opening 20 minutes that saw them race into a 17-0 lead that was too much for the Boks to overcome.

That stung the Boks. But it was also an invaluable reminder that being marginally off the pace, or mentally slightly distracted, as Etzebeth must have been considering his father died that week, leads to serious consequences on the field.

“One of the main lessons we learned was to be switched on from the start against them,” said Etzebeth. “In the first 20 minutes of the last match, they were the better team on the field, so it’s important that we have a stronger start.”

That of course, is easier said than done, but without Frizell this week, who was so dominant in the early exchanges of that match, his replacement Luke Jacobson has a big void to fill.

All Black No 8 Ardie Savea knows how hard it is against the Boks and is ready for the backlash he knows is coming after that chastening opening quarter in Auckland.

“It’s (being a warm-up) not part of our vocabulary at the moment. We want to go out there firing and banging,” Savea said.

“For me, every Test is hard, and that’s just internal gut feel I put upon myself, and the standard in every game is hard and tough and you want to get prepared for that and playing this game against South Africa leading up to what is next is important.

“They pose a massive threat around their physicality, their threats around the breakdown, so we’ve got to nail our structures, our game plan and be ready for things that go our way.”

Savea still took the time to congratulate Bok skipper Siya Kolisi on his remarkable return from injury. Kolisi played 40 minutes during last week’s 52-16 win over Wales, and looked in good form.

“He’s an inspirational leader, a good friend. To see him come back after his injury at such a fast rate, it’s a miracle pretty much,” Savea said.

“It’s awesome that he’s there and I know he plays a massive part in their culture and lifting the boys. It’s good for Siya.”

That’s where the niceties end for now. There is business to take care of in front of a sold-out 82,000 at Twickenham and both sides have put their best teams out there to do the occasion justice. DM

All Blacks: 

15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Mark Telea, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Aaron Smith; 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane (captain), 6 Luke Jacobson, 5 Scott Barrett, 4 Sam Whitelock, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Ethan de Groot. Reserves: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Tupou Vaa’i, 21 Dalton Papalii, 22 Cam Roidard, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown.