Planet Rugby's post-match grades from the second Greatest Rivalry Test paint a picture of an All Blacks side that competed hard but couldn't quite sustain it. Fabian Holland earned the highest praise — labelled 'mammoth' and backing up his 2025 Breakthrough Player of the Year billing with another physically dominant, skilful shift. Ardie Savea and Will Jordan were the other standouts, with Roigard and Carter also earning their keep. The concern is in the engine room: Ruben Love had what the piece calls his 'first real struggle' at Test level, losing an hour to an intercept pass to Jesse Kriel and a failure to get flat enough to the gain line, while Jordie Barrett had arguably his worst game of the year. The Springbok lineout pressure exposed both Taylor and Aumua, and the loose trio battle was a clear Bok win while Parker was on the field. A competitive display, but the ratings reflect where the gaps in this All Blacks side remain.
All Blacks ratings: Holland the standout, Love struggles, but Boks hold on in Cape Town
Planet Rugby's player ratings from the 33-26 defeat in Cape Town highlight Holland and Savea as the tourists' best, while Love endured his toughest Test outing yet and the Bok forward pack dominated key phases.
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.