Eden Park imposes itself before a ball is even kicked upon an All Blacks Test match. The stadium’s stature, and the weight of history combine to create a match-day atmosphere that lifts New Zealand fans and unnerves any visiting side.
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‘Home field advantage’ is often overused when it comes to the world of sports-writing, yet for the All Blacks in Auckland, Eden Park has become a fail-safe option to secure the victory. The scale of the advantage is startling in raw numbers. Since 1994 the All Blacks have not lost a Test at Eden Park, compiling an unbeaten run that, as of August 2025, reached 50 Tests in a row (48 wins, 2 draws).
The All Blacks’ results are not the product of luck. They are the cumulative effect of continuity, crowd expectation and a home environment that favours the Kiwi style of play. When New Zealand grace the surface at their Auckland amphitheater, the men in black get a real rise from their spiritual home The hits are harder, the carries faster, the line-speed relentless and the set-piece astute. Now, once again ranked at Number One in the world, New Zealand must defend their home from South Africa, in the third round of the 2025 Rugby Championship.
For the Springboks, the record upon the sacred Kiwi turf is particularly stark as South Africa last won a Test at Eden Park in 1937. The Boks have since twice drawn in Auckland, most notably in 1994, in a match that marked the beginning of New Zealand’s long unbeaten spell. However, South Africa have not registered a victory on that soil since the before the Second World War. That historical drought gives any visiting South African team an added subplot: they are not only trying to beat their old rivals, they are attempting to erase an 88-year blank in the winners’ column at the All Blacks’ premier ground.
The reasons are practical as well as psychological. Eden Park amplifies phase play and quick recycling; it rewards accurate kicking and punishes errors. When the crowd is on its feet and the All Blacks find their rhythm, the energy compounds, so that a well-executed back-line move or a turnover can feel decisive, as every moment matters inside the heart of New Zealand rugby.
South Africa know this, and their players speak plainly about the challenge. As Springboks wing Cheslin Kolbe put it ahead of this weekend’s match: “Past success counts for nothing against New Zealand.” It is a reminder that even heavyweights must negotiate Eden Park on New Zealand’s terms if they are to make history there.
South Africa’s last five matches vs New Zealand at Eden Park
- 1994 — New Zealand 18–18 South Africa (draw)
- 1997 — New Zealand 55–35 South Africa
- 2001 — New Zealand 26–15 South Africa
- 2010 — New Zealand 32–12 South Africa
- 2013 — New Zealand 29–15 South Africa
All Blacks’ record at Eden Park – By the Numbers
1994 – New Zealand begin unbeaten run at Eden Park following 18-18 draw against South Africa
50 – The number of consecutive unbeaten All Blacks Tests at Eden Park (48 wins, 2 draws)
2017 – The last time New Zealand did not win at Eden Park: 15-15 vs British & Irish Lions, 3rd Test
1937 – The last time South Africa last defeated New Zealand at Eden Park
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