They are arguably the most invincible team in the history of any sport ever played on this planet and under the sun. Sometimes, it seems like no earthly team can beat the well-oiled mechanized band of indomitable humanoids from the islands of Aotearoa, often translated as "land of the long white cloud" in the southern hemisphere.
The two-time defending champions of the Web Ellis Trophy or, simply the World Cup in rugby parlance, are now facing their biggest battle for pride this year.
Playing their final home Test of yet another highly successful season, the New Zealanders are taking on one of their age-old arch-rivals, South Africa, on Saturday evening local time at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
The All Blacks perform the haka ahead of The Rugby Championship match against Argentina at Trafalgar Park on September 8, 2018, in Nelson, New Zealand. /VCG Photo
No matter where and when they play, the battle between the All Blacks and Springboks always turns out to be the marquee game in the contact team sport named after the iconic Victorian-era school in Warwickshire in England.
Eminent Australian academic, fiction writer and historian Professor Brian Stoddart, who is also a keen All Blacks fan, told CGTN that "ABs" games against South Africa are always keenly awaited by New Zealanders.
"There is a long history of tough and highly skilled rugby accentuated by a difficult political history during the resolution of apartheid. On this occasion the ABs have all the form, but the Springboks always reserve a special effort for these matches."
After suffering a humiliating 57-0 drubbing in Albany last year, the never-say-die South Africans bounced back in style and went down fighting in their return match in the same year in Cape Town by a wafer-thin margin of 25-24.
The intensity of Saturday's showdown was reflected on All Blacks captain Kieran Read's thoughts during the pre-match press conference.
"Teams present challenges to us and South Africa will bring that physically. How we respond is the thing I'd like to see from the team," he said.
South African players practice ahead of their rugby test against New Zealand at Westpac Stadium, Wellington. /VCG Photo
Buoyed by their recent Bledisloe Cup triumph over the cross-Tasmanian age-old nemesis, the Wallabies, and a hard-fought 46-24 win over Los Pumas in Nelson last week, the spirited haka performers are all set to go for the kill once again.
But Siya Kolisi-led Boks are always the tireless warriors and are desperate to turn the tide this time. But that isn't easy against a side that enjoys an almost extraterrestrial invincibility. Former Boks stalwart and World Cup-winning captain John Smit knows that better than anybody as he led his side to World Cup success in 2007.
"Your error rate has to be at its absolute lowest. If you don't produce an accurate first-phase performance and if you don't respect possession, you will never beat them," Smit told sarugbymag.co.za, the official magazine of his country's rugby body, the South Africa Rugby Union (SARU).
The countdown has begun. Come Saturday and all eyes will be on whether the ABs set the Westpac Stadium in fire with the traditionally-performed Ka Mate or the less-frequently used Kapa o Pango before they roll on their juggernaut on the green turf in their capital.
(Top image: Damian McKenzie kicks during a New Zealand All Blacks Captain's Run at Westpac Stadium on September 14, 2018 in Wellington, New Zealand. via VCG photo)