The Bulls' URC final run has created a genuine scheduling headache: a mandatory six-week rest period, now effectively split into two three-week blocks either side of the 15 August All Blacks fixture, means the squad heads into the new URC season underprepared. Ackermann is candid about the tension between contact readiness and conditioning with so little time, and he's clear this isn't a hit-out — it's a full official match. The piece frames the All Blacks as a Rennie-era side with something to prove, though Ackermann still backs the Boks firmly on form, experience, and set-piece. With Papier back and potentially one or two Bok squad members released in time, the Bulls are building toward a genuine crack at the tourists — even if it costs them some early-season sharpness.
Bulls split their pre-season around the All Blacks fixture — and Ackermann thinks it's worth it
The Bulls' deep URC run has forced a split pre-season around the 15 August All Blacks fixture. Ackermann is navigating the conditioning-versus-contact-readiness tension with a short turnaround, and the piece explores what that means for both the marquee game and the franchise's URC preparation.
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.
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.
Springbok Recall! Relive Phepsi Buthelezi's 2025/26 Season
#SharksRugby #PhepsiButhelezi #Springboks
Bulls dismantle Munster 45-14: Bok depth tells, Hanekom stakes Bomb Squad claim
A detailed breakdown of the Bulls' dominant 45-14 win, analysing why Bok-laden depth made Munster irrelevant, and why Hanekom is now in the frame to replace Kwagga Smith in the Bomb Squad.
Jake White: Henry's All Blacks return is a 'masterстroke' — and he's no ordinary selector
White calls Henry's return a masterstroke — not because of his selector credentials, but because of the psychological and cultural weight he brings to a rebuilding All Blacks camp. White also makes a pointed broader argument about the game's failure to learn from history, using his own 2007 World Cup experience as a case study.