South Africa completed the home leg of the Nations Championship with a third consecutive bonus-point win, beating Wales 43-0 at Kings Park to stay level with the All Blacks on points in the southern section — ahead on differential. The whitewash extends to 116 points across 160 minutes against Wales going back to November's 73-0 in Cardiff, which tells you everything about the gulf in class. But Gavin Rich's read is that the scoreline flatters the performance. The Boks were physically dominant from the first scrum — Jasper Wiese crashed over in the fifth minute, Reinach loped around off the scrum for a second shortly after, and Wales were effectively buried by halftime — yet the handling was poor throughout, with 11 Bok errors at the break against Wales's three. Fassi had a difficult night in the air after a promising early break, and debutant Vusi Moyo's erratic field-kicking compounded the aerial problems. Rich points to the All Blacks' clinical dismantling of Ireland at Eden Park earlier the same day as the uncomfortable benchmark — passes sticking, execution sharp — while the Boks were scrappy despite the gap in class. The forwards were excellent — both Wieses, Du Toit, Marx, De Villiers all prominent — and Williams and Jantjies both scored on debut, but the sense at full-time was that the Boks were operating well within what they're capable of.
43-0 but the Boks left something on the table
The Boks made it three Nations Championship bonus-point wins from three with a 43-0 demolition of Wales, but Rich argues the scoreline masks a sloppy, error-riddled performance that looks concerning when held up against the All Blacks' clinical work earlier the same day.
- Springboks
- Nations Championship
- Wales
- New Zealand
- Hollywoodbets Kings Park
- Jasper Wiese
- Jaden Hendrikse
- Cheslin Kolbe
- Malcolm Marx
- RG Snyman
- Eden Park
- Ireland
Boks remain top but All Blacks close gap to 2.90 points after Nations Championship opener
South Africa stay top of the World Rugby Men's Rankings at 93.94 points but New Zealand have cut the gap to 2.90 after beating France, while Scotland climb to equal their all-time high of fifth following a record 47-38 win over Argentina in Córdoba.
Five Boks in Round One Team of the Week as Willemse Claims Player of the Weekend
South Africa dominate Planet Rugby's Round One Team of the Week with five selections, headlined by Willemse's Player of the Weekend on his 50th cap and strong showings from Marx, both Du Toits, Kriel and a debut-making De Villiers.
Hansen's Right to Back Himself — But the Boks' Five-Match Streak Tells a Different Story
Jean de Villiers acknowledges Hansen's logic but argues last year's results and performances make it hard to see the All Blacks closing the gap on the Boks — and the panel get genuinely animated over what a 2-2 series tiebreaker would even look like.
SENSATIONAL Springboks 💥 | South Africa v England | Nations Championship 2026 | Highlights
Watch all the highlights as South Africa took on England at Ellis Park on day one of Nations Championship.
SENSATIONAL Springboks 💥 | South Africa vs. England | Nations Championship 2026 | Highlights
Watch all the highlights as South Africa took on England at Ellis Park on day one of Nations Championship.