Loud cheers signal that Siya Kolisi, South Africa’s captain, is ready to speak:

I want to thank every single South Africa here and back at home. We are so grateful. We do it for you each and every time. To the New Zealand supporters, thank you for coming to our beautiful country and embracing our culture.

Coach Rassie knows how to get us up for this. We reminds us where we come from. The players who are not playing, the guys who are injured, the guys who couldn’t make the tour, we do it for them.

He then breaks out in iGwijo!

Both sets of players have gathered in a circle shoulder to shoulder, mixed among themselves.

Some are praying, all are now on their knees.

What a series it’s been.

Here’s the ABs skipper, Codie Taylor:

We talk a lot about moments. SA just snapped a few more moments against us. We had opportunities but let them off the hook. Full credit to them. They’ve proven why they’re world champions.

We don’t die wondering. There is a lot of effort that goes into each Test. I know this will set us up going forward.

We’re in an interesting place as a rugby nation. We’ve fallen short but I can assure everyone back home that we are growing as a group. I know that we’re in a good place.

Player of the match Morne van den Berg.

He really was outstanding.

I’m so emotional. It’s such a massive honour to play for this team, this country, for my family at home.

[Scoring his first try against NZ] It’s always special, but it’s more special scoring in this game.

You dream of this playing in the garden. I’m speechless.

Back-to-back World Cups, multiple Rugby Championships, a British & Irish Lions series win and now this titanic RGR series.

These Springboks truly are all-conquering.

They secure it here as there’s a NZ forward pass in a game that saw them score six tries to the AB’s four.

79 min: There’s a side entry call against de Jager on halfway. Both teams have not stopped giving their all. Another Arendse run got everyone on their feet. NZ will throw to the line once more, one final time, inside SA’s 22. Can they bag a consolation?

76 min: SA keep the ball after the scrum and van den Berg’s dink to the corner. B Barrett, on the field for the first time in this Test series, gathers and returns a kick. But SA come back with Reinach, off the wing, galloping up field. Oh, are they in…

74 min: Blackadder takes his eyes off the ball at the worst possible time and spills the ball between his 22 and halfway. SA will get the scrum and will be in no rush to take it.

Or has he? They’ll look again if Moorby was tackled off the ball before that. NZ were away, then lost the ball, then Arendse picked it up and simply ran through the players of both teams from his own half.

But was Moorby tackled off the ball from behind by Hanekom?

This will make people angry whichever way they go.

Honestly, it’s 50-50.

69 min: NZ find an edge down their left and look like they’re away as Moorby is away and offloads for Jordan who feeds Lakain in the left tram. He plays the ball back inside but a retreating Bok hand knocks it away and Libbok runs it into traffic. There’s a AB knock-on so SA get the scrum, but the first one almost creaks and it could have been a NZ penalty.

SA are holding on by their finger nails. All momentum with NZ. This will feel like a long 10 minutes for the world champions. The crowd know it as a hush has descended over Baltimore.

67 min: Penalty for SA inside their own 22 and it’s a coach killer from NZ. Vaa’i at the back of a ruck after was playing Hanekom off the ball, holding the Bok. But the subsequent line-out is lost by SA so NZ come screaming back at them. Brillaint hands once again by the men in black. They are just so good when they give the ball air.

65 min: Not for me. But there definitely is an obstruction as Mckenzie cut back infield while using Mo’unga as a shield, preventing van den Berg a clean hit.

Though they’re still looking at the high shot.

They’ve given NZ the penalty!

McKenzie will kick this to touch to set up a line-out inside SA’s 22.

66 min: There’s an obstruction call against the ABs but was J Barrett hit high by Libbok? This is so finely poised. Whichever way the penalty goes could determine the Test.

65 min: Momentum all with the ABs now! SFM is off the field receiving treatment so Libbok kicks the restart, but he has too much sauce on it and the ball goes straight out. Scrum on halfway for NZ with the wind in their sails.

62 min: Another penalty for NZ means they’ll get a line-out five out from SA’s line thanks to a wonderful kick to the corner from Mo’unga. They need to score now, do the All Blacks.

61 min: Penalty on the floor by Jordan who tackled Hooker running down SA’s left and then got over it to steal the ball. Earlier, Kriel made a crucial intercept as NZ were building inside SA’s 22 after a stunning break from the men in black. Lakai and Sititi combined to see the latter explode up field and then it felt like they would surely score. But Kriel changed possession and SA countered when de Allende grubbered ahead for Hooker who gathered but was isolated.

59 min: What a kick from J Barrett as he unloads a monster kick over halfway. SA with the throw. 20 minutes to go. Can NZ pull a rabbit out of the hat? Well, they’ve won the turnover at the line-out so will build from halfway.

57 min: 17 phases and nothing comes of it. NZ’s defence held firm as SA’s momentum stalled. One-off runners felt short of ideas and soon the shape was lost as Etzebeth lost it in contact. Van den Berg is having the game of his life at the back of the Boks pack. Everything that is clicking is going through him.

Willemse is off andf Libbok is on.

On comes Lord to solidify that AB pack after Darry empties the tank.

NZ’s scrum gets some relief as Steenekamp gives away a free-kick.

57 min: Fourie goes over the top at the line-out and soon Willemse has the ball out on the right. They go through the hands and multiple phases and the ball is back on the left but about 10 metres closer to the NZ line.

55 min: Roigard was off-side! Brilliant from Hooker who tackled Jordan, got back to his feet and shoved a mighty shove at the ruck, pushing the ABs off their ball. PS du Toit came to take the ball and Roigard came in from the side to wrestle it back.

SFM kicks out and finds touch to set up a line-out on NZ’s 22.

55 min: This game is something else! I think there could be a penalty try here against SA after Roigard, who ran down the right wing after picking PS du Toit’s pocket – who in turn made a steal after Hooker tackled Jordan and then put in a mighty shove with a counter ruck – was tackled off the ball having kicked it ahead. But was van den Berg already committed to the tackle? Or did he deliberately take out Roigard who surely would have run onto his own kick?

If that was confusing I apologise. There’s a lot going on.

They’re looking if Roihgard’s initial steal was legit as he might have been off-side.

48 min: SA win the scrum penalty, this against de Groot who lost his footing. SFM hoofs it to the corner. SA will try maul this over as the ABs change their entire front row.

48 min: Yet another reset. Why don’t they stop the clock for these?

46 min: New Zealand’s scrum is holding though we need a couple of resets. This is a big moment in the game. NZ thought they had won the ball but it shot back out the tunnel where it came from, so it’s still SA’s ball.

45 min: Off the line-out, Arendse hit the line at pace and scythes through the ABs. He was away, the try looked secure, but he was cut down. SA kept it alive and went down the line. Jordan made the tackle and spilled it forward before PS du Toit did likewise carrying. But we have a SA scrum inside NZ’s 22. Short blind down the left but they’ll be looking to secure the penalty. Reminder, though, that Nche is off the park.

44 min: Taylor, still bleeding, finds his jumper and the ABs maul over halfway. Roigard fires the pass to J Barrett who hoists it high. Arendse runs onto it and spills so Roigard gathers and charges through midfield. But it’s 9 on 9 violence as van den Berg makes a penalty securing steal!

SA change both props as well as de Jager for Nortje in the second row. Esterhuizen also replaces Kolisi.

41 min: In a flash Arendse is tearing down the right into space and SA are in NZ’s 22. They keep it alive and Wiese carries, then Marx. Right to left they go. Nche carries. Van den Berg changes direction and now SA must show patience in the red zone. But it’s NZ who win the penalty! SFM enters the ruck from the side and that’s another 22 entry that comes to nothing for SA. Will the regret these lapses come the final whistle?

40+1 min: Roigard kicks the ball out, but SA gave away a scrum penalty so Mo’unga gets a chance to kick it down town to set up a NZ line-out. This could be big. NZ with the last throw of the dice before the break.

39 min: Etzebeth charges down a Roigard clearing box inside NZ’s 22, but there was too much on it and it dribbled out of play. Mo’unga goes deep with the goal-line drop out and Wiese carries hard. Then Marx. Can SA land a blow? Nope, the ball is spilled by Willemse down the left wing. Good hit that from J Barrett to force the mistake. Time for one more NZ scrum before half-time.

36 min: 25 phases! Blackadder came close but still they come and the green wall holds. Now advantage after Wiese is off-side. No dice yet, though. NZ with it as we get to 30 phases. Unreal.

35 min: Taylor plays a one-two at the line-out and goes down the tram himself after getting the ball back. He’s well tackled. The Abs have stalled though, having played 14 phases for an additional two metres. Still, they have the ball inside SA’s 22.

32 min: Willemse hoists a high kick and chases it himself to win the ball in the air. But that good work is undone by SFM who shanks a kick straight out of touch. NZ will throw to the line on halfway. They almost lose it but just about come away with it. In fact they get a penalty as a jumper was played in the air. Mo’unga has free ball. J Barrett finds Taylor on the right wing with a kick. Marx makes a steal but it was still a penalty advantage so NZ will get the chance to put the ball down inside SA’s patch.

29 min: SFM lines up a drop goal but misses. He has it back as he has to scamper to clean up a long AB kick. Between SFM and Willemse and Arendse, the SA backs are playing like they’re on the beach, jinking and dummying, wow, it’s entertaining. Then a high hoist from van den Berg is put on the edge of NZ’s 22 and it’s spilled by Hooker. NZ with the scrum on their 22. They need another swift exit, which they get thanks to Roigard who has shone so far.

27 min: NZ come up with a steal inside their own 22. Vaa’i with the steal after a brilliant counter from SA – sparked by Willemse who off-loaded round his back to Arendse, as well as carries by de Allende and Wiese – took the Boks within touching distance. But just as they were building through the phases, Vaa’i got over the ball and made a massive steal. But the clearing kick doesn’t find touch so SA come right back at them.

25 min: Great defence from NZ. They were scrambling when Kriel hit a short pass at pace but he was munched by two tacklers and lost it forward. Scrum to NZ on their own 22. They need to find a spark as Taylor’s head is bleeding heavily after copping a blow from de Allende’s knee. He looks like he’s gone five rounds in the Octagon.

25 min: Mo’unga is smoked by Etzebeth but not before he got the pass away. NZ show good hands until the lose it and SA come back at them. Willemse makes ground after contact and then SFM launche a high contestable that Hooker gathers. They go down the short side on the left with PS du Toit and de Allende carries to the edge of the 22.

20 min: OK, we’re back. Wiese runs hard and bulldozes a poor tackler in front of him. Down the line, Willemse goes to the toe but it takes a defelction and NZ aer on it. Roigard hoists a high kick, Willemse catches and is nailed by Leinert-Brown. Van den Berg boxes it back. Moorby gathers and is hit by Arendse. But Roigard explodes down the right wing. Did Roigard play that illegally? Possibly, the ball was played on the ground and the penalty goes against them. Not Roigard, but someone swatted it away from the ruck and into his path. SFM nudges it to the corner to set up a line-out within touching distance in the right corner.

“The All Blacks must be too scared to go old school,” says Wessel Burger in Amsterdam.

Maybe they’re worried about a ‘home field’ decision. Baltimore has turned green for the Boks.

The TMO link to the referee is broken.

Both teams have to agree to carry on without it. Apparently South Africa have said yes but New Zealand have said no.

Not ideal for the big US rugby advert.

Then again, sports fans across the pond are used to breaks in play.

This is going on far too long.

19 min: Not sure what is going on. The players are ready but the ref is not. We’re seeing loads of crowd shots and my guess would be it’s 90% Springboks.

19 min: SFM had the distance, but not the accuracy as he slices it, skewing the shot wide and beyond the dead ball area.

Something is awry with the ref’s mic – or some other technical glitch – so there’s a short break.

17 min: This is such a frenetic game. Really living up to the hype. McKenzie gathered the ball and decided to go on his own but he’s met by a double hit from PS du Toit and Etzebeth (imagine!) and he spills. The scrum is awarded to SA and they eke out a penalty right on halfway. SFM fancies this in the muggy Baltimore air and will take a shot at the poles.

12 min: That’s a huge territory win for NZ. The scrum went sideways but it held. Roigard picked up off the back and raked a long kick that Arendse had no choice but to field and kick. But the ABs lose the ball in contact shortly after the line-out and SA counter before Hooker shoots a grubber up-field. McKenzie fields and attempts a cross-kick to Lienert-Brown who dropped it above his head as he was getting ready to run up the wing. Scrum to SA just beyond NZ’s 22 with no blind-side to their left.

Phew, hope you got all that. What a mad passage of play.

10 min: NZ exit well thanks to Mo’unga showing bravery inside his 22, floating a pass down to Jordan on the right wing. Willemse fields a long kick and returns it with interest before Etzebeth steals the subsequent line-out. De Allende spills in contact as he’s hit by Lienert-Brown, so we’ll have the first scrum of the game. NZ will feed around halfway.

7 min: ABs set their attack and show lovely hands as they go right and then left again, but Nortje spots an opportunity and picks a turnover inside his own 22 after Nche made a strong tackle on Lakai and Etzebeth cleaned up. But the ABs are back on the ball after Vaai’i wins a line-out at the back. NZ mauling on the edge of SA’s 22.

5 min: Great exit from the Boks off the restart. Willemse so secure at the back. NZ win the subsequent line-out and maul to the edge of the Boks 22. But the ball out the back is sloppy, though J Barrett tidies up. De Groot gets a short pass and hits the line hard. Blackadder goes down the short side, then Moorby on the left. He’s not let go so they get a penalty and Roigard taps and goes.

3 min: Another penalty, this time for a high shot on SFM. Off the line-out they kept the ball and kept it thrumming. Van den Berg is having a sharp game so far. De Allende made good ground, as did Marx. Then SFM straightened and drew a high shot after a dummy. This is in range so he’ll take aim at the sticks.

1 min: Electric start from the Boks! They secure the kick-off and play a nifty little wraparound move with van den Berg sparking a break down the left with Hooker in the tram. Nche made ground with a strong run before the ABs strayed off-side. Sacha Feinberg-Mnomezulu (SFM) tried to dink a kick to Arendse on the right wing but it didn’t stick. So SFM finds touch in ABs half.

Codie Taylor, in his first game as Test skipper, leads the Haka.

Loads of emotion from the players as the anthems are sung.

Hate to venture into cliche land, but try telling them that this is just a ‘money game’.

Although it is narrow for a rugby pitch.

They’re using every inch available to them but this will be tighter than usual. Will that help the Boks?

There’s also a very small goal area. Clearing kicks could be a precarious act.

It does look like an incredible arena.

As the Fifa World Cup proved, stadiums in the US are on another level.

And of course, they’re kicking things off with the Star Spangled Banner.

Loads more Springboks jerseys than All Blacks in the stands.

Some info on the venue:

• M&T Bank Stadium is a 71,000-capacity NFL venue and the home of the Baltimore Ravens.

• The pitch has been laid over the Ravens’ usual playing surface.

• The stadium is known locally as “The Bank”. It has 142 suites and more than 8,000 club seats, which helps explain the decision to stage it here.

• The Baltimore Ravens are operated by Steve Bisciotti – with a net-worth north of $10bil – who first bought a minority stake in the franchise in 2000 before completing his majority purchase in 2004.

I know what you’re thinking: ‘Why is this game between South Africa and New Zealand being played in Baltimore?’

Good question. There are three answers.

It’s going to make a lot of money. Some reports suggest up to $8mil more than if the game was staged in South Africa. And with both SA and NZ splitting the revenue of the tour 50-50, they’re both more than happy to get that dolla!

Secondly, World Rugby, who have helped with the marketing and other logistics for this one, are keen to grow the sport in the US ahead of the 2031 World Cup. They’d like a stronger US national team, but they’ll be more than happy if enough American sports fans take an interest in these two juggernauts and spend money on tickets in five years.

Finally, the Boks and All Blacks are keen to grow their own brands in this relatively untapped market. NZ have already played two games in the US (both against Ireland) in recent years and the Boks have turned Twickenham in a home away from home. They seen themselves as the two most marketable properties in the sport – and there’s no denying they’re the two most successful sides – and they’d like to maxmise their earning potential.

Take a read of Martin Pengelly’s preview: