Israel Dagg's admission that the All Blacks used to run a 'KitKat' call — nudging a player to go down for a breather and regroup — cuts through the pre-series noise around Springbok time-wasting. His broader point is that the go-slow problem isn't a South African one; it's a officiating one. Where he and co-host Scotty Stevenson land is that the real battleground in the upcoming four-Test series will be the breakdown — specifically how much latitude referees give defending players before calling them off the ball. Stevenson argues that referee 'coaching' at the ruck (repeated verbal warnings before a penalty) is what allows teams to slow the ball legitimately, and that the All Blacks will be hoping for earlier, harder calls. With English referees appointed for the series, both analysts expect plenty of instruction rather than Raynal-style immediate whistles — which likely suits the Boks more than the All Blacks.
All Blacks used fake injury breaks too — Dagg's admission reframes the go-slow debate
Dagg admits the All Blacks ran their own fake-injury 'KitKat' tactic, then reframes the go-slow debate as a refereeing problem rather than a Springbok one — with the breakdown and referee tolerance the key tactical battleground for the four-Test series.
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.