Schalk Burger's case is straightforward: France and Ireland never properly engaged New Zealand in the kicking battle, meaning the aerial contest that hurt the All Blacks in Wellington last year remains an open wound heading into the four-Test series. Burger expects the Boks to target exactly that, backing Erasmus's side to apply serious pressure in the first two Tests before Rennie's men find their feet. Hanyani Shimange adds the set-piece dimension — scrums, mauls and lineouts haven't been stress-tested either, and that's where South Africa's structural advantage should tell. The flip side gets attention too: Rennie's more expansive approach could push the Bok defensive system harder than anything they faced in the Nations Championship, with Burger flagging tackle volume and sustained line-speed intensity as the real examination for this Springbok side.
Burger identifies the aerial game as the All Blacks' untested vulnerability ahead of the series
Burger argues the All Blacks haven't been tested aerially or at set-piece yet this season — two areas where the Boks expect to dominate — while acknowledging Rennie's expansive game could stretch the Bok defence in ways France and Ireland didn't.
- New Zealand
- Springboks
- Rassie Erasmus
- Rugby Championship
Erasmus welcomes clarity on Tony Brown's post-2027 departure: 'We've made the mistake in the past'
Tony Brown will join the All Blacks coaching staff in 2028 after his Springbok contract expires at the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with Rassie Erasmus welcoming the early clarity as SA Rugby looks to avoid the contractual uncertainty that complicated preparations for France 2023.
Tony Brown to join All Blacks backroom staff in 2028 after Springbok contract ends
NZR have confirmed Tony Brown will join the All Blacks' backroom staff in 2028 on a two-year contract, with the Springboks attack coach set to depart after the 2027 Rugby World Cup. It is the third time NZR have pursued Brown, having previously been rejected during the Foster and Robertson eras.
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.
Mulder's '95 Warning: Don't Sleep on the All Blacks
1995 World Cup winner Japie Mulder warns against writing off the All Blacks ahead of the four-Test series, drawing on South Africa's own underdog story to argue the gap in rankings doesn't guarantee a comfortable series win.