Pieter-Steph du Toit wins his 100th cap and Ox Nche his 50th as the Springboks face the All Blacks in the second Test, looking to level the series after a 16-33 defeat in Johannesburg last week.
Pieter-Steph du Toit wins his 100th Springbok cap in the second Test against New Zealand in what is a landmark occasion for the loose forward. Ox Nche also reaches a personal milestone, making his 50th Test appearance at prop.
The match comes seven days after South Africa were beaten 16-33 in Johannesburg, a result that frustrated Rassie Erasmus given the Springboks' failure to convert pressure into points. Erasmus named his side for the rematch on the Monday following that defeat.
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 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.
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.
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.
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