With the series already in hand at 2-1, Kolisi made clear the Boks aren't settling for a drawn series ahead of the Baltimore decider — the mindset is win, not protect. Mzwandile Stick's pre-match comments are the more analytically interesting read: he anticipated Mo'unga's recall, sees it shifting the All Blacks toward a wider, more expansive attacking game, and acknowledges that the last two Tests saw the Boks do a reasonable job containing Love. The challenge now is whether they can impose their physicality on a desperate All Blacks side with Mo'unga pulling strings — Stick's blunt warning being that any drop below their recent level will be punished by a team of this quality.
Boks want to win the series, not draw it — and Stick has Mo'unga in his sights
Kolisi's series-win mindset sets the tone, but Stick's candid breakdown of the Mo'unga threat and what his return means for All Blacks attack patterns is the substance worth reading ahead of the Baltimore decider.
- Siya Kolisi
- Springboks
- Mzwandile Stick
- New Zealand
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.
Kolisi treats Barbarians clash as a full Test match ahead of Gqeberha opener
Siya Kolisi insists the Springboks are treating Saturday's Barbarians clash in Gqeberha as a full Test match, with internal competition, positional battles and the season opener's importance all cited as the camp's driving forces.
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.