Planet Rugby's match ratings from the 43-28 victory in Baltimore hand out two standout scores. Arendse earns a perfect 10 — three linebreaks from the wing before shifting to fullback and finishing the game with a try that put the result beyond doubt. Van den Berg gets a 9 and the Man of the Match award on the back of his try, his service, and his decision-making in what was a must-deliver start after last week's eye-catching cameo. De Allende (8) and Marx (8) are the next-best rated, with Wiese also pulling an 8 for a dominant carrying and tackling shift. The tightheads — Louw and Nche — are the low scorers at 5, unable to impose themselves at scrum time. The Bomb Squad rating of 8 is anchored largely by Hanekom, whose steal and try extinguished New Zealand's fightback. Du Toit is docked for a defensive misread that gifted Codie Taylor a try, and Etzebeth gets only a 6 despite several standout individual moments.
Baltimore masterclass: Arendse and Van den Berg lead the ratings as Boks seal 3-1 series
Planet Rugby's player-by-player ratings from the Baltimore decider spotlight Arendse (10) and Van den Berg (9) as the architects of the 3-1 series win, while the tightheads and Du Toit are the relative weak links in an otherwise commanding collective performance.
Nations Championship done — now Erasmus faces his real selection headache
The Nations Championship was the easy part. This piece breaks down the selection puzzle Erasmus now faces ahead of the All Blacks series — who's locked in, who needs to prove fitness in Buenos Aires, and how Paul de Villiers has complicated the Kolisi question.
Seven Boks make ex-England duo's Nations Championship XV — All Blacks shut out
Youngs and Watson's Nations Championship Team of the Tournament is loaded with Springboks — seven in total — with Willemse, Kolbe, Kriel, Marx, Du Toit, Nortje, and Wiese all making the cut, and no All Black in sight.
Argentina trip will reveal Erasmus's first-choice XV for the All Blacks series
The 15 Boks staying home while a second group travels to Buenos Aires are shaping up as the All Blacks series core. Feinberg-Mngomezulu's availability, Etzebeth's concussion clearance, and Esterhuizen's recovery are the key variables to watch as the selection picture firms up.
Five takeaways from Erasmus's bold Wales selection — and what the 5:3 bench signals about where the Boks are heading
Planet Rugby unpacks why Erasmus's Wales selection is more than injury-driven tinkering — four debutants are carefully scaffolded by experienced teammates, while the rare 5:3 bench split signals a genuine structural commitment to the Boks' new attacking identity.
Argentina Test doubles as final audition for the All Blacks series
Planet Rugby breaks down Erasmus's Argentina squad as a carefully constructed final audition rather than a routine Rugby Championship fixture — identifying who looks locked in for the All Blacks opener and who still has a case to make.