Paul de Villiers has been one of the standout performers of the Nations Championship's Southern Hemisphere leg, stepping in for the injured Kolisi and delivering three consecutive Tests of genuine quality — relentless at the breakdown, accurate in defence (missing just 3 of 36 tackle attempts), and showing a rugby IQ that belies his inexperience. The piece argues, however, that the rush to hand him the No. 6 jersey permanently is premature. Erasmus has been clear that Kolisi returns against Argentina on 8 August, and the broader point is that De Villiers's emergence is a sign of depth, not a succession notice. Kolisi — now back at the Stormers on a deal through 2029 — remains a critical cog as ball carrier, link player and defensive presence, and is targeting a third successive World Cup title. The article frames this less as a competition and more as exactly the selection pressure Erasmus wants heading into the Rugby Championship and 2027.
De Villiers is the real deal — but Kolisi isn't done yet
De Villiers announced himself as a genuine Test player during the Nations Championship, but this piece makes the case that displacing Kolisi is still a stretch — Erasmus rates Kolisi's all-round contribution too highly, and the real story is how deep South Africa's loose forward stocks have become.
So how deep is the Springbok squad?
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Alexander's blunt warning: align the calendar or lose the game
Mark Alexander is warning that the Dublin World Rugby meetings must deliver calendar alignment — concurrent Rugby Championship and Six Nations windows, dedicated club and rest periods — or the sport risks losing players to rebel competitions. New Zealand's resistance to shifting Super Rugby Pacific is the key sticking point.
England should steal Rassie's two-squad playbook for their impossible summer schedule
Nick Easter argues England must adopt Rassie's split-squad model to survive a brutal summer window, and backs it up with a detailed first-choice XV for Ellis Park — with Fiji, not South Africa, flagged as the most dangerous fixture.
Burger: Roos earns his Bok recall — but the soft-skill weakness is real
Burger endorses Roos's Bok recall but flags a genuine soft-skill concern, while De Villiers uses Papier and Horn to argue Erasmus's selection culture consistently rewards sustained URC form.
Janse van Rensburg at the top of England's centre pecking order — and what it means for the Boks
Borthwick's centre headache has a new frontrunner: Janse van Rensburg is rated the likely starter at 12 for England's Tests against Fiji and Argentina, though he's ineligible for the opener against the Springboks. The piece ranks all options at 12 and 13, with Freeman locked in outside and Slade unlucky to be on the fringes.