Springboks name unchanged forwards as Erasmus makes two changes for Baltimore
Damian Willemse returns at fullback in place of Cheslin Kolbe, who will miss the rest of the series after breaking his jaw in the third Test. Willemse himself sat out the second Test with a hamstring injury.
Morné van den Berg starts at scrumhalf alongside Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, with Cobus Reinach named among the reserves.
Head coach Rassie Erasmus explained the call on van den Berg: “Krappies is not a youngster, and we have been tracking him for a while. But he's just been unfortunate with injuries at bad times.”
The rest of the side that started the 29-24 third Test win is unchanged. Ox Nché, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw pack down in the front row, Eben Etzebeth and Ruan Nortjé lock the scrum, and Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese start either side of captain Siya Kolisi in the loose trio.
Erasmus also addressed the challenge of playing at a neutral venue in the United States: “We've played matches, such as the 2021 British & Irish Lions series, in front of no spectators, so we try to remind ourselves of that.”
With the series on the line, the Springboks coach was blunt about what's required: “If we don't win, then we have achieved nothing.”
The All Blacks will be looking to deny South Africa the series, with the Springboks having won the second and third Tests either side of an opening defeat in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.
WATCH: Catch up on the All Blacks Test match history in USA
Springboks side to face the All Blacks in Baltimore
Springboks (15-1): Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Ethan Hooker, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Morné van den Berg, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Ruan Nortjé, Eben Etzebeth, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nché.
Reserves: Deon Fourie, Gerhard Steenekamp, Thomas du Toit, Lood de Jager, André Esterhuizen, Cameron Hanekom, Cobus Reinach, Manie Libbok.
