17 reasons why the All Blacks should beat South Africa

All Blacks 1st-five Beauden Barrett in action against South Africa during the Rugby Championship test match between New Zealand and South Africa. Photo / Brett Phibbs.

17 reasons why the All Blacks should beat South Africa.

1. They have Beauden Barrett - best No 10 in the world.

2. The Boks will wheel out Morne Steyn at first-five, a relic from another age.

3. Attack - with 29 tries in this Rugby Championship, the All Blacks have outscored the Boks, Wallabies and Pumas combined (26).

4. Defence - the All Blacks are making 89.3% of their tackles. The Boks are next best with 84.1%.

5. Defence again - the All Blacks have conceded only five tries in five tests.

6. Conditioning - the All Blacks are one of the fittest teams in the world.

7. Clarity - the All Blacks know their game plan backwards and have the players to implement it.

8. New Boks coach Allister Coetzee is struggling to get his players on the same page.

9. Ben from accounts generally makes you pay. Fullback Smith is playing as consistently as ever.

10. Joe Moody, Dane Coles, Owen Franks. Best front row in the world.

11. Kieran Read. The No 8's leadership has gone to new level in absence of Richie McCaw.

12. The All Blacks are one of the mentally strongest teams in the world. The Aaron Smith fire-storm shouldn't affect them unduly.

13. The Boks last beat the All Blacks just over two years ago in Johannesburg.

14. The All Blacks beat the Boks at a canter in Christchurch three weeks ago.

15. Jerome Kaino. The enforcer is back and ready to hurt someone.

16. Winning streak - the All Blacks are motivated by the world record of 18 consecutive test wins. Another win would put them on 17.

17. The Boks are on a streak of 1.