In honour of the 100th test match between New Zealand and South Africa on Saturday, Newshub's sporting experts have reflected on some of their most intense encounters on the rugby field.
From the heartbreak of the 1995 World Cup final to Israel Dagg's heart-stopping winning try in 2010 and flour bombs dropped from planes, there's never any shortage of drama between the All Blacks and the Springboks.
Here's where some of the first 99 tests between the two sides rank.
Grant Chapman, Newshub digital sports lead - All Blacks 25 South Africa 22, Auckland, 1981
For a high school kid just about to enter the real world, the infamous Springbok tour of '81 was a real eye-opener.
The heady mix of politics and sport split families and friendships, and sparked scenes of civil war outside - and sometimes inside - the rugby grounds of New Zealand.
After a two-month trek that saw one match cancelled in Hamilton and others disrupted, the rival teams arrived in Auckland for the deciding encounter of a three-test series.
While police and protestors battled in the streets, the onfield spectacle was just as dramatic, with a light plane buzzing the stadium, dropping protest literature, flares and flour bombs.
Perhaps the two iconic images of this game were the sight of All Blacks prop Gary Knight
covered in flour, after copping one of these projectiles in the head, and fullback Allan Hewson raising both arms aloft, after kicking the winning penalty goal in injury time.
Tom Bartlett, Newshub sport producer: All Blacks 27 South Africa 24, Johannesburg, 1992
A 10-year-old rugby fanatic from Lower Hutt (that'd be me) got up in the middle of a chilly August night in 1992 to watch his first All Blacks-Springboks test from Johannesburg.
While everyone I knew agreed with why the 'Boks had been out of international rugby for more than a decade, many had bemoaned the loss of one of the All Blacks' true rugby nemeses and when the 1992 test was announced, I was told this would be different to any test I'd seen before.
And it was.
The All Blacks won what became known as the 'Return Test', thanks to legends like Zinzan Brooke and Sir John Kirwan, but I recall vividly this game felt more brutal than any other I'd watched, as the South Africans tore into the tourists with the 72,000-strong, predominantly white crowd demanding Kiwi blood.
But with all the brutality came touches of class too. Up to that point, Naas Botha had been like a mythical creature - a classy, goalkicking No.10, whom everyone said was awesome, but a guy I'd just never seen before. In fact, I'd never seen any of the 'Boks before and at the end of the test, I wasn't sure I wanted to see them again.
I cried when the 'Boks went on to beat us in the 1995 World Cup Final - I was convinced we'd win - but if the rivalry taught me one thing about sport from a young age, the will to win wasn't exclusive to those wearing the silver fern.
Andrew Gourdie, Newshub sport presenter: All Blacks 12 South Africa 15, Johannesburg, 1995
My first rugby memories centre around the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
Jonah Lomu and the All Blacks had destroyed all before them in South Africa, so as a young fella, I awoke in the middle of the night to watch the final with my dad, both of us expecting a procession against the Springboks to gain the title they so obviously deserved.
What followed was torture.
What was going on? How could this unstoppable, free-scoring juggernaut suddenly seem so powerless?
It made no sense to this 11-year-old.
When Joel Stransky landed that go-ahead drop goal in extra-time, the inevitability of defeat suddenly became real - I was numb with shock.
I distinctly remember trudging back to my bed, staring wide awake at the ceiling, and saying out loud: "I can't believe we just lost the World Cup."
My first proper sporting heartbreak.
Stephen Foote, Newshub sport digital producer: All Blacks 33 South Africa 26, Pretoria, 1996
It's impossible for me to go past this absolute all-timer in 1996.
An All Blacks team littered with greatness, headlined by a duo of my boyhood heroes in the inimitable Christian Cullen and Jeff Wilson.
An uber-early wake-up, a steaming Milo, some soggy Weet-Bix and a first-ever test series victory on South African soil on the line - this one delivered on the occasion.
That Goldie chip-and-chase try... that Zinny drop-goal... that famous final defensive stand... it was a contest that embodied both the age-old 'Boks-All Blacks rivalry and everything great about test rugby.
I hadn't completely understood the significance of what was at stake that day, but the exhausted players' celebrations as they collapsed at the final whistle and the tears welling in my dad's eyes said it all.
Mitchell Redman, Newshub radio reporter: All Blacks 23 South Africa 21, Christchurch, 2004
I don't know in particular why this one stands out, but I was four and it would have been one of my earliest footy memories.
A very still, icy, but clear night in Christchurch, it was the first game of the Tri-Nations between the two teams, with South Africa going on to win. A classic test - physical forward picking-and-going all day, hits all over the show, and linebreaks left, right and centre from both backlines.
The All Blacks just could not score, but Dan Carter kicked five penalties to stay in it. Percy Montgomery was also in fine form, nailing his conversions from the sideline, and his performance in this game definitely contributed to him becoming one of my favourite players on Rugby '08.
The All Blacks trailed by three with a few minutes left on the clock. A drop goal would have drawn it, as would a penalty - which seemed likely, considering that had happened the entire game.
With seconds counting down on the clock, Carlos Spencer throws a skip-ball to Mils Muliaina, he darts for the corner, hands it to Doug Howlett and the All Blacks score the winning try of the match bang on the hooter.
Signed, sealed, delivered... absolute scenes.
Alex Powell, Newshub sport digital producer: All Blacks 32 South Africa 12, Auckland, 2010
After South Africa battered the All Blacks home and away to win the 2009 Tri-Nations, Sir Graham Henry's side needed to make a statement to show their worth by the time 2010 rolled around.
They did all that and more at Eden Park in the Tri-Nations opener, scoring four tries and conceding none in return.
Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Kieran Read and Tony Woodcock all crossed for the All Blacks, while Dan Carter landed 5/7 with the boot.
More importantly, the win was an important stake in the ground for the All Blacks to build towards the 2011 World Cup.
A 31-17 victory in Wellington a week later showed that the All Blacks were the real deal and sent a warning to the rugby world that they would take some beating for the Webb Ellis Cup.
Ollie Ritchie, Newshub rugby reporter: All Blacks 38 South Africa 27, Johannesburg, 2013
Maybe one of the greatest test matches ever played.
The Rugby Championship was on the line, and the All Blacks and Springboks played out an absolute thriller. Nine tries scored between the two teams, it was exactly how test rugby should be played and encapsulated just what made the All Blacks-Springboks rivalry so special.
There was even a low-flying plane over the stadium, reminiscent of the famous 1995 Rugby World Cup final.
This was two of the best teams in the world going at each other for 80 minutes. You couldn't have scripted it better
Mitch McCann, Newshub presenter: All Blacks 20 South Africa 18, London, 2015
The All Blacks-Springboks rivalry was at its very best during the 2015 Rugby World Cup semi-final at Twickenham.
Nestled among dozens of South African fans on Auckland's North Shore, I was sent to cover the viewing party as a radio reporter.
The match had it all - Jerome Kaino flying like Jonah into the corner to open the scoring, Dan Carter's drop goal to claw back toward the lead, and a powerful Springbok side boasting brute strength, with the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Schalk Burger, and Francois Louw powering a forward pack made of pure muscle.
I'll never forget the torturous, excruciating final minutes, thinking the All Blacks mightn't hold on to defend the Webb Ellis Trophy. Ma'a Nonu was phenomenal, Aaron Smith was class and Richie McCaw kept the boys calm.
The All Blacks managed to hold on and then went on to beat Australia in the final a week later, but I'll always remember this match as the true crescendo of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Narelle Sindos, Newshub sport reporter: All Blacks 23 South Africa 13, Yokohama, 2019
After spending most of the last two years living in London, the opening group match between the All Blacks and the Springboks was the first time I had seen New Zealand - well, any rugby, in fact - for a while.
All attention was back on the 15-man code, just two days after arriving home from the football-mad UK. I couldn't have asked for a better re-introduction to the game.
The All Blacks raced out to an early advantage, leading 17-3 at the break, courtesy of George Bridge and Scott Barrett. Bridge, who had just four test caps to his name heading into the tournament, proved to be an integral part of the campaign on the wing, starting every match
Despite the South Africans' late comeback, the win never looked in doubt.
Many said the 'Boks would get a chance for revenge in the final, as the two nations were instantly deemed 'favourites' to meet in the tournament decider, but as we all know, only one made it that far.
Join Newshub for live updates of the All Blacks v Springboks Rugby Championship clash from 7pm Saturday
