All Blacks and Springboks clash in the Rugby Championship in a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — South Africa and New Zealand meet in a Rugby Championship test Saturday which repeats the 2023 World Cup final and brings together the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked teams in world rugby.

While the match at Auckland's Eden Park is being billed as a blockbuster, possibly the most important test of the year, both teams a grappling with issues of form.

World Cup champion South Africa lost to Australia in the first round of the tournament and New Zealand lost to Argentina in the second, raising pressure on coaches Rassie Erasmus and Scott Robertson in a wide-open tournament in which all four teams have one win and a loss.

The pressure is especially heavy on Robertson, who has lost five of his 17 tests in charge, and reached that five-loss mark faster than any previous All Blacks head coach.

The most recent loss to Argentina in Buenos Aires, the All Blacks’ first ever lost to the Pumas in Argentina, was indicative of New Zealand’s performances under Robertson. There seemed to be a lack of confidence and direction at both ends of the field.

Robertson has either chosen to, or been prevailed upon, to call on former All Blacks and New Zealand women’s coach Wayne Smith to join in training this week. Smith, known as “the professor,” now works as a sort of troubleshooter whose job is to bring quick remedies to troubled teams.

“He’s good. He’s just got so much wisdom with 30-odd years in the business at the top level,” Robertson said of Smith. “There are little bits of gold there: ‘Have you thought about this? Remember this? And when I was here, we did this.’

“Those are the bits you get from an old koro (grandfather) who knows his way around test footy.”

The main surprises in the selection of both lineups was that there were no real surprises. Both coaches followed a relatively conservative and consistent course.

Robertson has had to contend with a series of injuries at scrumhalf which have ruled out Cam Roigard, Noah Hotham and Cortez Ratima. He has selected Finlay Christie to start Saturday and Kyle Preston to make his debut from the bench.

Otherwise, the selection of Emoni Narawa on the right wing in place of Sevu Reece was unexpected but a reflection of the importance the All Blacks are putting on the aerial game. Both teams are expected to kick __ a lot.

Erasmus has made four changes to the team which beat Australia in Cape Town. Eben Etzebeth returns for his 137th test and Siya Kolisi will be at No. 8 while Jesse Kriel retains the captaincy.

"We selected the best possible team we could for the match, knowing that this is going to be an epic encounter against the All Blacks at Eden Park and many of these players have done the job for us before against them,” Erasmus said.

Eden Park is a stadium nestled in the leafy suburbs of Auckland, a setting that belies its reputation as the fortress of New Zealand Rugby.

The All Blacks haven't lost there in 50 test matches dating back to 1994. South Africa hasn't won there since 1937.

That's pressure on both teams: on the All Blacks to keep the streak alive and on the Springboks to be the team to finally break the streak.

“I’ve played against the All Blacks twice before, at Twickenham and ... in Cape Town, but the magnitude of this match at Eden Park is huge — it’s an unbelievable feeling,” Springboks wing Canan Moodie said.

The responsibility of defending the Eden Park record has loomed over All Blacks training this week.

“We talk about it with a lot of care,” Robertson said. “We understand the figures, the history, the facts and the occasion and that creates edge in itself.”

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

South Africa's Eben Etzebeth, centre, hangs onto the ball as he is supported by teammates during a rugby championship test match between South Africa and Australia, at Cape Town stadium in Cape Town, South Africa, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Halden Krog)

New Zealand's All Blacks players perform the Haka prior to a rugby championship match against Argentina's Los Pumas in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

South Africa's captain Jesse Kriel, centre, celebrates with teammates following a rugby championship test match between South Africa and Australia, at Cape Town stadium in Cape Town, South Africa, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Halden Krog)

New Zealand's All Blacks players react after losing a rugby championship match against Argentina's Los Pumas in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison Friday in the first verdict from eight criminal trials over the martial law debacle that forced him out of office and other allegations.

Yoon was impeached, arrested and dismissed as president after his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024 triggered huge public protests calling for his ouster.

The most significant criminal charge against him alleges that his martial law enforcement amounted to a rebellion, and the independent counsel has requested the death sentence in the case that is to be decided in a ruling next month.

In Friday's case, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yoon for defying attempts to detain him, fabricating the martial law proclamation and sidestepping a legally mandated full Cabinet meeting.

Yoon has maintained he didn’t intend to place the country under military rule for an extended period, saying his decree was only meant to inform the people about the danger of the liberal-controlled parliament obstructing his agenda. But investigators have viewed Yoon’s decree as an attempt to bolster and prolong his rule, charging him with rebellion, abuse of power and other criminal offenses.

Judge Baek Dae-hyun said in the televised ruling that imposing “a grave punishment” was necessary because Yoon hasn’t shown remorse and has only repeated “hard-to-comprehend excuses.” The judge also restoring legal systems damaged by Yoon’s action was necessary.

Yoon, who can appeal the ruling, hasn’t immediately publicly responded to the ruling. But when the independent counsel demanded a 10-year prison term in the case, Yoon’s defense team accused them of being politically driven and lacking legal grounds to demand such “an excessive” sentence.

Prison sentences in the multiple, smaller trials Yoon faces would matter if he is spared the death penalty or life imprisonment at the rebellion trial.

Park SungBae, a lawyer who specializes in criminal law, said there is little chance the court would decide Yoon should face the death penalty in the rebellion case. He said the court will likely issue a life sentence or a sentence of 30 years or more in prison.

South Korea has maintained a de facto moratorium on executions since 1997 and courts rarely hand down death sentences. Park said the court would take into account that Yoon’s decree didn’t cause casualties and didn’t last long, although Yoon hasn’t shown genuine remorse for his action.

A supporter of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shouts slogans outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs and flags outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A supporter of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol waits for a bus carrying former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs as police officers stand guard outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs and flags outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A picture of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is placed on a board as supporters gather outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)