Damian McKenzie has placed New Zealand's 33-16 win at Ellis Park — their first Test victory there since the 1996 tour — among the standout moments of his 78-cap career. McKenzie made a rapid recovery from the ankle injury he picked up against the Sharks to play a full part in the performance, and he's under no illusions about what's coming in Cape Town. The All Blacks camp is bracing for a Springbok backlash, with McKenzie acknowledging South Africa are too good a side not to respond — and with three Tests still to play in the series, the mood in the New Zealand camp is cautiously confident rather than celebratory.
D-Mac rates Ellis Park win over Boks among his All Blacks career highlights
McKenzie rates the Ellis Park result among his career bests but warns the All Blacks expect a wounded Springbok side to come out swinging in Cape Town, with the series very much alive across four Tests.
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.
Springbok Recall! Relive Phepsi Buthelezi's 2025/26 Season
#SharksRugby #PhepsiButhelezi #Springboks
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.