Rugby365's Avuyile Sawula works through the Springbok XV after the 33-26 win over the All Blacks in Cape Town, with the series now locked at 1-1 ahead of the Soweto decider. Damian de Allende earns the standout score (9/10) for a barnstorming display — nine carries, 16 tackles, and a try — with a strong case made that he edged Kolbe for man of the match honours. Kolbe's 18-point kicking haul and aerial work earn him 8/10, as does a returning Kolisi, whose influence on the first try and that Ardie Savea tackle underlined exactly what the Boks missed in the first Test. Ruan Nortje (8/10) and Eben Etzebeth, who made 18 tackles and disrupted multiple All Blacks lineouts, also come out well. On the other end, Steenekamp's scrummaging struggles (5/10) are flagged as a missed opportunity, while Marx's cameo — two turnovers and a scrum penalty — is highlighted as a game-turning contribution off the bench. Ethan Hooker's (5.5/10) costly concentration lapse that gifted the All Blacks a try is also dissected. Worth a look ahead of the Soweto decider to calibrate which selections are under pressure.
Cape Town Test ratings: De Allende leads the way as Boks level the series
Sawula's player-by-player ratings from the Cape Town Test pick out De Allende as the unlucky man of the match, flag Steenekamp's scrum struggles and Hooker's costly error, and make the case that Marx's cameo was pivotal — all relevant context heading into the series decider in Soweto.
Erasmus: winning stays non-negotiable, whatever the World Cup build-up demands
Erasmus has made his 2025 season intent explicit: rotation and World Cup-building happen inside a framework where winning remains the non-negotiable baseline. The piece breaks down what that means for squad management, the veterans' standing, and why the All Blacks series carries extra weight.
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.
Five Boks in Round One Team of the Week as Willemse Claims Player of the Weekend
South Africa dominate Planet Rugby's Round One Team of the Week with five selections, headlined by Willemse's Player of the Weekend on his 50th cap and strong showings from Marx, both Du Toits, Kriel and a debut-making De Villiers.
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.
Erasmus draws the line: World Cup planning won't come at the cost of winning
Erasmus is unambiguous: squad-building and World Cup prep don't override the drive to win. The piece breaks down how he's balancing depth rotation with a clear selection hierarchy, and what this season's fixture list — England, then four All Blacks Tests — demands of a squad that's broadened over two years and is now being refined.