Planet Rugby's post-match ratings from Baltimore paint a picture of an All Blacks side that competed in patches but were systematically dismantled where it mattered most. Roigard (8) and Blackadder (8) stood out as genuine bright spots — Roigard twice had momentum-shifting breaks called back for offside, moments the raters suggest could have changed the game's complexion. Lakai impressed at 8 in Savea's absence, though his leadership void was felt. The real damage, however, came through the front five and the bench: the Bomb Squad overwhelmed the All Blacks replacements, the lineout was a recurring mess under Taylor's captaincy, and the locking pair were judged to have been physically bullied. Mo'unga's return gets a cautious 6 — the raters question whether his decision-making style fits comfortably alongside Barrett and Roigard as the primary playmakers. For Springbok supporters, this is a useful window into where the Boks hurt the All Blacks most — and it wasn't close.
All Blacks ratings: Roigard and Blackadder shine but Bomb Squad exposure tells the real story
Planet Rugby's Baltimore player ratings highlight Roigard and Blackadder as the All Blacks' best, but identify the Bomb Squad's demolition of the bench and a physically outgunned front five as the defining factors in a 43-28 defeat.
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.