Planet Rugby breaks down the selection implications from the All Blacks' squad changes ahead of the second Greatest Rivalry Test in Cape Town. The biggest positive calls are George Bower's promotion to starting loosehead — after his scrum impact off the bench at Ellis Park — and the returns of Patrick Tuipulotu and Xavier Numia, both surprise omissions last week. Simon Parker and Leroy Carter also get genuine opportunity to stake World Cup claims. On the flip side, the piece is pointed about Wallace Sititi's continued slide down the pecking order, with Rennie clearly unconvinced despite the breakout 2024 campaign. Beauden Barrett's exclusion — now five successive Tests out of the 23 — is flagged as increasingly alarming for his World Cup positioning, with Rieko Ioane arguably closer to a return than Barrett at this point. Mo'unga's tour debut against the Lions is assessed as eager but overegged, and the piece suggests he'll need to be more disciplined before forcing his way into Test contention. The front-row depth concern is real: with De Groot and Lord both in return-to-play protocols, Bower facing a Wilco Louw scrum test, and Lomax still not back to his best, South Africa's set-piece could again be the decisive battleground.
All Blacks winners and losers: Who gains and loses from Rennie's Cape Town reshuffling
Planet Rugby's winners-and-losers breakdown of the All Blacks' Cape Town selection covers Bower's front-row promotion, Sititi's worrying slide, Barrett's mounting Test exile, and why Mo'unga still needs to bide his time — with New Zealand's prop depth under real pressure heading into DHL Stadium.
Brown confirms post-2027 All Blacks move but eyes World Cup glory with Boks first
Springbok attack coach Tony Brown will join Dave Rennie's All Blacks staff from 2028, but remains committed to helping South Africa win a third successive World Cup title before his departure.
Tony Brown to join All Blacks backroom staff in 2028 after Springbok contract ends
NZR have confirmed Tony Brown will join the All Blacks' backroom staff in 2028 on a two-year contract, with the Springboks attack coach set to depart after the 2027 Rugby World Cup. It is the third time NZR have pursued Brown, having previously been rejected during the Foster and Robertson eras.
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.