On The Verdict podcast, Schalk Burger, Jean de Villiers, and Hanyani Shimange pulled apart Borthwick's team selection after the 45-21 loss at Ellis Park. The panel's sharpest criticism was reserved for Seb Atkinson at 12 — De Villiers couldn't identify what Atkinson offers over Lawrence or Ojomoh, while Burger flatly called him a 'non-event.' The broader selection picture drew similar scrutiny: two small wingers (Feyi-Waboso and Murley) with no obvious gain-line carrier, and a midfield without the physicality required to compete against the Boks. Burger's view is that Furbank's late withdrawal hurt England more than Kolisi and Etzebeth missing hurt the Boks — because winning the aerial and kicking battle is non-negotiable against this Springbok side, and England lost it convincingly. With Scotland up next at Loftus, Burger flags Tuipulotu as a genuine threat in midfield — a very different test to what England posed.
Burger and De Villiers dissect England's selection failures at Ellis Park
Burger, De Villiers, and Shimange dismantle Borthwick's selections for Ellis Park — Atkinson singled out as a 'non-event,' the midfield found wanting for physicality, and England's loss of the kicking battle identified as the decisive factor in the 45-21 defeat.
- England
- Springboks
- Siya Kolisi
- Eben Etzebeth
- Scotland
- Loftus Versfeld
Nché injury concern headlining Bok casualty list ahead of Scotland clash at Loftus
Rassie Erasmus is sweating over the fitness of Ox Nché, Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth and André Esterhuizen ahead of Saturday's Nations Championship match against Scotland at Loftus, after all four picked up injuries during or before the 45-21 win over England at Ellis Park.
Erasmus warns Boks: England bring youth, experience and tactical unpredictability to Ellis Park
Rassie Erasmus has praised England's touring squad as young, experienced and tactically unpredictable ahead of the Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park on 4 July, while Siya Kolisi returns as captain for a fixture that marked his first Test captaincy in 2018.
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.
Destiny, depth and the aerial 'set phase': Erasmus unpacks the England win
Erasmus reframes the Etzebeth and Kolisi injury disruptions as forced but valuable depth-testing ahead of 2027, while flagging the aerial contest as an emerging third set piece — and Willemse as the Boks' current master of it.
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.