Over the course of two nail-biting Rugby Championship contests in South Africa, both won by the hosts, the Springboks and All Blacks proved that theirs is indeed rugby's greatest rivalry - and that the proposed extended series between them in 2026 could not come quickly enough.
Relations between South Africa and New Zealand's rugby unions broke down in 2020, leading to South Africa's withdrawal from Super Rugby as they cited their rivals' "unilateral" decision to organise a competition without them.
However, widespread reports suggest that the All Blacks are set for an eight-match tour of South Africa in 2026, featuring three Tests. The Boks are reportedly set to tour New Zealand in a return series in 2030 under the banner of "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry".
Siya Kolisi alluded to the tour in the press conference after the Springboks beat the All Blacks 18-12 in Cape Town on Saturday when he said: "We aren't playing Super Rugby anymore, so it's always special to play against them.
"It's a game that's been going on for over 100 years now and like coach [Rassie Erasmus] said, we have so much respect for them and it's mutual respect between the two teams. We go flat out against each other on the field. Then afterwards, we can have a beer together."
Kolisi pointed to the significance of the All Blacks rivalry when he said: "When there are three games [in 2026], that will be huge. It will be something special." Grinning at Erasmus, he added: "Hopefully, I am still here."
Although there were some All Blacks flags in the crowd, Cape Town Stadium (known as the DHL Stadium for sponsorship reasons) was a sea of green for the most part, with the buzz around the Springboks arguably at an all-time high.
While rugby matches involving New Zealand-based teams in Cape Town have been feisty in the past due to the city's divided support base, the atmosphere on Saturday was mostly jovial and respectful.
The game itself got off to a cagey start and was effectively a contest off the tee in the first half, with defences holding firm. New Zealand drew first blood through a 15th-minute penalty and subsequently doubled their advantage before Handré Pollard put the Springboks on the board with a penalty of his own in the 32nd minute. New Zealand struck back with another to make it 9-3 at half-time.
The hosts came out blazing in the second half and captain fantastic Kolisi, playing through the pain of a facial fracture, forced his way over after a sustained build-up featuring a series of attacking lineouts and a potential try ruled out by the TMO. The conversion put the Boks 10-9 to the good as they took the lead for the first time in the game.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu - who upon his introduction drew one of the biggest cheers of the evening - was calm under pressure as his penalty kick in the 55th minute gave the Boks a four-point cushion.
Kolisi - whose status as a fan favourite was cemented long ago, perhaps more so in Cape Town after his past heroics for the Stormers than anywhere bar his home city of Gqeberha - received a standing ovation as he was substituted off in the 58th minute.
The All Blacks gained some momentum back over the next five minutes as Damian McKenzie pulled back a penalty and Willie le Roux was yellow-carded - the third sin-binning of the game after Jasper Wiese and Sevu Reece served time in the chair in the first half. However, McKenzie's subsequent penalty kick - which could have put the All Blacks ahead - came off the post.
The Springboks regrouped. Although Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed a penalty kick of his own from inside his own half, the Boks weathered the storm with 14 men on the field and McKenzie missed a significantly easier kick minutes later before Tyrel Lomax was yellow-carded for impeding the run of Cheslin Kolbe.
Whereas the All Blacks had struggled to capitalise on their numerical advantage, the Boks wasted no time with theirs. Malcolm Marx forced his way over in the corner to put the Boks 18-12 ahead in the 74th minute. Feinberg-Mngomezulu pushed the conversion wide of posts, giving New Zealand a lifeline.
However, the All Blacks spent most of the last few minutes camped in or near their own 22, with the momentum of the Boks - fuelled by arguably Cape Town's most partisan home crowd ever in a Springboks-All Blacks Test - proving too strong to overturn.
South Africa is a rugby-loving nation and any Test involving the Springboks is likely to generate significant fanfare - particularly against strong opposition, which can come from several quarters. For one, Ireland have won four of their last five tests against the Springboks including one out of two on the road earlier this year and one in the Rugby World Cup, which the Boks bounced back to win.
However, this Rugby Championship double-header proved that there is no opponent that can bring South African cities to a standstill quite like the All Blacks. Four hours before kick-off, Cape Town's roads were already packed, with the city and its traffic officers managing it fairly efficiently under pressure.
In Johannesburg a week earlier, supporters had been amazed by the efficiency of the trains transporting them to the game, a welcome change from recent years of train-related chaos across the city.
There are still challenges for rugby for it to fulfill its potential as a nation-building sport in South Africa, with one being ticket prices set too high for many in a country with high levels of poverty.
However, there is no doubt that Tests between the Springboks and the All Blacks are a major net positive for the country and it is well-equipped to host them both at traditional rugby venues such as Ellis Park and FIFA 2010 World Cup stadiums such as Cape Town Stadium.
The All Blacks have some soul-searching to do after a difficult tour, but there is no doubt that as the most successful rugby nation in history, their rivalry with the most successful team in the shorter history of the Rugby World Cup, the Springboks, remains the sport's greatest in more than simply name.