Planet Rugby's player ratings from the 17-10 win over Argentina paint a picture of a stuttering starting XV rescued by the bench. The backline was largely blunt — Fassi error-prone (4), Feinberg-Mngomezulu subdued on his injury return (6), Reinach inconsistent at nine (5) — while up front, De Jager had a rough 50 minutes (4) and a Kolisi injury scare (hamstring, off after 25 minutes) will have the coaching group nervous ahead of the All Blacks series. The standouts in the starting group were Van der Merwe for his relentless energy and well-taken try (8) and, most notably, Hanekom, who backed up his first number 8 start with a try, strong breakdown work and the kind of carry volume that justifies the hype around him (8). The Bomb Squad — Van Staden, Dixon, Wiese, Pollard and Van den Berg — collectively rated 8, effectively turned the game, providing the physicality and direction the starters couldn't sustain.
Bomb Squad bails out a patchy Bok XV — but Hanekom grabs his chance
A workmanlike Bok starting XV was bailed out by the Bomb Squad in a scrappy 17-10 win over Argentina, with Hanekom and Van der Merwe the individual bright spots and a Kolisi injury the main concern heading into the All Blacks series.
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.
Erasmus splits the squad: Argentina gets a proper team, but the All Blacks prep starts now
Erasmus is running a deliberate two-track operation — a full-strength group heads to Argentina while a separate contingent stays home to prep for the All Blacks, with player management decisions like resting Du Toit already pointing to where the real priority lies.
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.
Mallett flags four Boks with most to prove against Scotland
Mallett argues the rotated Bok XV has a mobility mismatch against Scotland's fast-paced game, and identifies Pollard, Papier, Wiese, and Evan Roos as the players whose spots in the All Blacks series picture depend heavily on Saturday.
Mallett names the Boks under the microscope against Scotland
Mallett breaks down why Saturday's Scotland test is a watershed moment for Pollard, Papier, Evan Roos, and Cobus Wiese — with pointed analysis on Roos's concentration lapses and whether the forward pack has the mobility to handle Scotland's style.