Three former Boks used SuperSport's Verdict show to take direct aim at Cam Roigard following the Soweto Test, and the criticism went well beyond one incident. The immediate flashpoint was Roigard holding his face after a scuffle with Reinach during the penalty try award, which resulted in a penalty against Reinach rather than any sanction for the All Black. De Villiers called it a dive on air; Burger invoked Nigel Owens' famous 'go play soccer' line and questioned why Roigard wasn't yellow-carded when the Reinach penalty came from what was, in his reading, an attempt to exploit the same situation. Burger also argued the referee got the bigger picture wrong — his position is that whichever All Black (Roigard or Jacobson) was offside at the scrum should have received a yellow card alongside the penalty try, making Reinach's reaction largely irrelevant. Shimange widened the lens to the broader simulation epidemic, pointing to the HIA-feigning trend as a deliberate tactic to draw cards, and Burger's conclusion was blunt: the current generation of players needs to police this themselves because the match-day systems are being gamed. De Villiers added that this isn't a one-off for Roigard — he flagged similar behaviour during Super Rugby Pacific — while being careful to note he remains an exceptional player.
Burger, De Villiers and Shimange slam Roigard's simulation — and call on players to clean up the game
Burger, De Villiers and Shimange dissect the Roigard simulation controversy from the Soweto Test — questioning the referee's call, arguing a yellow card was warranted for an All Black, and calling on players to collectively stamp out the growing culture of gamesmanship in the professional game.
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.