Planet Rugby's player ratings from the All Blacks' 38-21 win over the Stormers make uncomfortable reading for Dave Rennie's Test selection plans. Beauden Barrett is the headline casualty — his first appearance under Rennie was marked by aerial struggles and costly errors, and the ratings verdict is blunt: he failed his audition. Billy Proctor and Simon Parker also earned 4s, while tighthead Pasilio Tosi's set-piece discipline was poor enough to put his spot in the Test 23 in doubt. The standout performer is lock Fabian Holland, whose return from a year-long injury lay-off was so commanding — strong lineout work, high workrate, sharp in the loose — that he's now firmly in Test contention. Leroy Carter, Cortez Ratima, Anton Segner and Peter Lakai all rated well, but the bigger picture is that several players handed a chance to press Test claims failed to take it ahead of what promises to be a bruising series against the Springboks.
Barrett flops on Rennie debut as All Blacks edge unconvincing Stormers win
Barrett's first Rennie outing ended in a 'failed audition' verdict, Tosi's scrumming was penalised heavily, and Proctor continued to struggle at Test level — while the feel-good story is Holland's remarkable return from injury putting him straight into Test contention.
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.