Planet Rugby's post-match ratings from DHL Stadium paint a picture of an All Blacks side that competed hard but were undone by a patchy backline performance and a set-piece under pressure. Fabian Holland — rated 8 and dubbed 'mammoth' — is singled out as the standout, combining physicality with the off-load skills that set up Leroy Carter's try. Ardie Savea and Will Jordan also impressed, with Roigard busy and effective at nine. The concern areas are clear: Ruben Love had what the piece calls his 'first real struggle' at Test level, costing the All Blacks an intercept try to Jesse Kriel and failing to impose himself for the first hour, while Jordie Barrett had an off-night by his own high standards. The tight five also drew mixed reviews, with Taylor under lineout pressure from the Boks and Lomax inconsistent at three.
All Blacks ratings: Holland shines, Love struggles as Boks level the series
Planet Rugby's All Blacks player ratings from the 33-26 Cape Town defeat highlight Fabian Holland and Savea as the tourists' best, while Ruben Love's intercept pass and a set-piece under the cosh are flagged as key fault lines in a performance that ultimately fell short.
- DHL Stadium
- New Zealand
- Jesse Kriel
- Springboks
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.
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.
Keo & Zels: Stubborn All Blacks policy make Boks smile
The boys love that New Zealand keep picking their second-best, long may it continue.
All Blacks' loosehead crisis hands Springboks a ready-made weapon in Greatest Rivalry Series
Jeff Wilson has publicly identified loosehead prop as the All Blacks' most dangerous weakness ahead of four consecutive Tests against the Springboks — with Williams likely out, Tu'ungafasi's future uncertain, and the remaining options short on caps and experience. Set against the depth Erasmus has built across the prop positions, this piece maps out why scrum time could be where the Greatest Rivalry Series is decided.
Stephen Donald: Robertson copied the Boks — Rennie must go back to All Blacks DNA
Stephen Donald backs Hansen's anti-copycat argument, saying Robertson erred by chasing the Springbok blueprint rather than New Zealand's tempo-based strengths — and expects Rennie to correct that course ahead of a blockbuster four-Test series in South Africa.