After a flat beginning, South Africa finally spread their wings in the Test series against New Zealand in Tests two and three, and head coach Rassie Erasmus wants his side to fly high in the finale on US soil. The Springboks, from 1-0 down, seek to win the series 3-1 on Saturday at the home of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, while the All Blacks are hoping to square the first traditional series between them in 30 years. South Africa scored one try in the first Test which they lost, three tries in the second Test which they won, and four in last weekend's third Test where they were at their most expansive yet.

Their traditional set-piece strength was decisive - a penalty try from a pushover scrum and a lineout maul that marched New Zealand back to its posts - but the forwards' fearsome power was complemented by two well-taken backline tries. "Damian [de Allende] was good on Saturday, Jesse [Kriel] was very good, Ethan [Hooker] did well, so the guys are getting better," Erasmus said on Monday at the team announcement. Erasmus believed they might have put too much focus in the first Test on stopping New Zealand and not taking more risks in a game they controlled for the first hour at Ellis Park. "At the end of the day you just need to outscore your opposition," Erasmus said. "If it means they score four tries and you kick five drop-goals like Jannie de Beer at the 1999 World Cup against England, you just need to score more points than them." Erasmus has made two changes to the side which beat New Zealand 29-24 last Saturday for this weekend's fourth Test. Damian Willemse returns to full-back for the injured Cheslin Kolbe, and scrum-half Morné van den Berg was given his first start in the series, dropping Cobus Reinach to the bench.

The forward pack remains the same. Yet, that may not be the end of things as since first Test defeat, Erasmus has played fast and loose in terms of making late changes to his team selections.