Sixty-two years. That’s how long it took for a childhood dream born on the rugby fields of New Zealand to find its way to Baltimore, Maryland.
Saturday, September 12, 2026. Test 4 of “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry” series between the New Zealand All Blacks and the South African Springboks. Played at M&T Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland.
As a sprog growing up and playing rugby, I wanted to be an All Black. Gosh jolly, all my mates who played the game did.
3’ — Springbok Penalty: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converts.
Score: South Africa 3 – 0 New Zealand
During rugby season at school, at lunchtime, after school, on weekends and holidays, we’d grab a rugby ball and have some fun.
8’ — All Blacks Try: Codie Taylor scores from a Cam Roigard pass.
9’ — All Blacks Conversion: Damian McKenzie converts.
Score: New Zealand 7 – 3 South Africa
I played rugby for Oratia Primary School, Kelston Boys and Waitemata Rugby Club. Even back then, I had a notebook to keep score.
14’ — Springboks Try: Damian de Allende scores a try.
15’ — Springboks Conversion: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converts.
Score: South Africa 10 – 7 New Zealand
And whenever the All Blacks went on tour to Britain, Ireland, and France, my dad and I would get up before our rooster stirred to enjoy a televised game of international rugby and a Cadbury bar of chocolate.
22’ — Springboks Try: Morné van den Berg cuts back off a corner lineout to score.
23’ — Springboks Conversion: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converts.
Score: South Africa 17 – 7 New Zealand
And then one day the epiphany: Will I ever be an All Black? Nay. An All Black fan!
37’ — All Blacks Try: Will Jordan enters the backline to score under the posts.
38’ — All Blacks Conversion: Damian McKenzie converts.
Score: South Africa 17 – 14 New Zealand
January 2026. Starting to see social media posts that the All Blacks and the Springboks are scheduled for a game at the M&T Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.
Wait, what?
M&T Bank Stadium, home of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, the very stadium associated with legends like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Lamar Jackson, Brian Billick, and John Harbaugh, is about to welcome the All Blacks and Springboks into its sporting history!
Pinch me, slap me. Again, like you mean it. Where am I, Land of Oz?
Halftime Score: South Africa 17 – 14 New Zealand
January 26, 2026: I am registered to vote. Have registered for classes, even have several vehicles registered with the State of California. But for a bucket list item, I’m adding the prefix “pre” to get my tickets to the game.
49’ — Springboks Try: Malcolm Marx powers over from a dominant lineout maul drive.
(Conversion missed by Feinberg-Mngomezulu)
Score: South Africa 22 – 14 New Zealand
January 29, 2026. Scored four tickets. Come on, Dorothy, “follow the yellow brick road. Follow the yellow brick road. Follow the yellow brick road.”
53’ — Springboks Try: Pieter-Steph du Toit blasts over after a break from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
54’ — Springboks Conversion: Morné van den Berg converts.
Score: South Africa 29 – 14 New Zealand
August 30, 2026: Kiwi Kim has landed at LAX. T minus thirteen days until the fourth test of “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.”
63’ — All Blacks Try: Ethan Blackadder powers through a gap close to the ruck.
64’ — All Blacks Conversion: Damian McKenzie converts.
Score: South Africa 29 – 21 New Zealand
Game day! But first, off to the hotel’s breakfast buffet with my daughter Danielle and sister, Kim. “We’ll have the breakfast of champions.”
Then the text from my wife: “flight delayed” (from Denver).
My emotional response: @$#%&%!!!
72’ — Springboks Try: Kurt-Lee Arendse scoops a loose ball and sprints 70 meters under the posts.
73’ — Conversion by Manie Libbok
Score: South Africa 36 – 21 New Zealand
We’re at M&T Stadium! I see a sea of green South African jerseys along with small waves of black. Does South African citizenship come with game day rugby tickets?
77’ — Springboks Try: Cameron Hanekom gathers a loose ball inside the NZ 22 to dive over.
78’ — Springboks Conversion: Manie Libbok converts.
Score: South Africa 43 – 21 New Zealand
The All Black haka. My warrior heart soars. “Taringa whakarongo!”
My wifey, my partner sublime, makes it to our seats (Section 546, Row 9, Seats 5-8). “To love and to cherish,” and an All Black game ’fore we perish.
Let’s go!
80’ — All Blacks Try: Beauden Barrett scores a late try.
80’ — All Blacks Conversion: Damian McKenzie converts.
Final Score: South Africa 43 – 28 New Zealand
(South Africa won the four-Test series 3 – 1)
Gutted. Gutted. Co-gutted with my sister Kim.
But it’s only a game.
Yeah, nay, mate. A game sixty-two years in the making. And I’m here, in America, with my wife, daughter, and sister, Kim…and my fellow Kiwis. “A game” I will treasure forever.
No. I want to feel the pain of this moment. It pairs nicely with a future victory. They are two sides of the same coin.
Breathe…in…out…heads…tails…win…lose…
Lo! Saturday, November 13, 2027. Stadium Australia. Men’s Rugby World Cup final.
Toss that coin, mate—I’m backing black!
© 2026 Stephen J. Groak. All rights reserved.
🥝🥝🥝🥝
