Mark Tele’a relishing opportunity to face Springboks at Ellis Park

By Will Toogood

All Blacks versus Springboks at Ellis Park.

Those seven words can only be described as the pinnacle fixture (outside of a Rugby World Cup final) between rugby’s two fiercest rivals and a match that is circled by fans, coaches and players alike when schedules are announced.

For All Blacks winger Mark Tele’a, a trip to the Republic has an extra layer of importance – one where in a different world, he could have been playing at home, rather than away.

Tele’a’s father is South African, his mother Samoan, and by right he qualified to play rugby for three nations. He opted to represent the country of his birth, New Zealand.

Saturday evening in Johannesburg (Sunday, 3am NZT) could see Tele’a run out for the first time for the All Blacks against the Springboks in South Africa, after being named on the bench.

While playing in South Africa is not new for the All Blacks flier, as he made a trip there with the Blues in 2020 and played in Pretoria and Cape Town, Ellis Park for a test match will be another step up in intensity altogether, both in a rugby and spectator sense.

Tele’a said he has a few things he can take from that Super Rugby experience into the test arena.

“It gets real hard on the lungs real quick, I guess that altitude kicks in real fast. Every game is like a test match, even when we were playing here in Super [Rugby], so it’ll be the same now and I think it will be a more physical challenge knowing that they’re up for the challenge. We’re here on their home soil, so it’ll be a good challenge.”

The 13-test winger said outside of what will happen on the field, he is enjoying the opportunity to experience the culture that makes up a large part of his heritage.

“Just embrace it, you know. I’m half South African so I haven’t really seen what it’s like [over here]. Coming back here [South Africa] is always mean, just to see the culture and just embracing it as I go through.

“Any culture is important to any person so I guess for myself I’m trying to find that out and [I’m] on my journey as well.”

Tele’a returns to the side for Johannesburg after he was dropped for the victory over Argentina at Eden Park and with that comes a chance to write more history into rugby’s most-storied rivalry.

“As a Kiwi watching back from home, yeah, you can only support from afar... you can see it’s a tough battle every time, any game, wherever it is against South Africa.”

That said, Tele’a said the All Blacks will be using the experienced heads in the squad to ensure the players don’t let the Ellis Park occasion get the best of them.

“We’re all on this journey together as a team we’re trying to stack good performances and head in the right direction, so that’s what we’re going to do... Saturday’s another game.”

The 2023 World Cup final was the last time the two nations met, a match which saw the Springboks hoist a record fourth title – something that may still sting for rugby fans in Aotearoa.

Nevertheless, Tele’a said any pain from that night in Paris has now evaporated for him.

“Nah man, it’s long gone now,” he said.

All Blacks: 15. Beauden Barrett 14. Will Jordan 13. Rieko Ioane 12. Jordie Barrett 11. Caleb Clarke 10. Damian McKenzie 9. TJ Perenara 8. Ardie Savea 7. Sam Cane 6. Ethan Blackadder 5. Tupou Vaa’i 4. Scott Barrett (c) 3. Tyrel Lomax 2. Codie Taylor 1. Tamaiti Williams

Reserves: 16. Asafo Aumua 17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi 18. Fletcher Newell 19. Sam Darry 20. Samipeni Finau 21. Cortez Ratima 22. Anton Lienert-Brown 23. Mark Tele’a

South Africa: 1. Ox Nche, 2. Bongi Mbonambi, 3. Frans Malherbe, 4. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 5. Ruan Nortje, 6. Siya Kolisi (c), 7. Ben-Jason Dixon, 8. Jasper Wiese, 9. Cobus Rienach, 10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 12. Damian de Allene, 13. Jesse Kriel, 14. Cheslin Kolbe, 15. Aphelele Fassi

Reserves: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Vincent Koch, 19. Eben Etzebeth, 20. Elrigh Louw, 21. Kwagga Smith, 22. Grant Williams, 23. Handre Pollard

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission