Thomas du Toit has shared his ideal scrummaging lineup, and the selections are as revealing as the reasoning. Marx gets the nod at hooker on scrummaging grounds alone — du Toit points to his 8-stud boots as proof of his commitment. Etzebeth gets the lock spot not for sheer mass but for his explosiveness and speed into contact, which du Toit argues is the more valuable combination. At flanker, Bath teammates Ted Hill and Guy Pepper edge out Kolisi — though du Toit is quick to flag that Kolisi is probably the back-rower who stays bound longest in a scrum until the ball exits. The piece also captures how deeply the Springbok scrummaging culture travels with du Toit: on his first day back at Bath after an international window, he was already pulling Pepper and Ross Molony up on equipment slippage. It's a sharp window into how the Bok scrum mentality operates at franchise level.
Du Toit's dream scrum: Marx, Etzebeth, and the Bath culture shift
Du Toit names Marx and Etzebeth as his ideal scrummaging hooker and lock, praises Ted Hill as a 'freak' flanker, and reveals how he imported Bok scrum standards straight back to Bath on day one.
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: 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.
Du Toit's dream scrum: Marx, Etzebeth, and the Springbok culture he exported to Bath
Du Toit names Marx and Etzebeth as his ideal scrummaging hooker and lock, praises Kolisi's set-piece staying power, and reveals how Springbok scrum standards followed him back to Bath.
Nché injury concern headlining Bok casualty list ahead of Scotland clash at Loftus
Rassie Erasmus is sweating over the fitness of Ox Nché, Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth and André Esterhuizen ahead of Saturday's Nations Championship match against Scotland at Loftus, after all four picked up injuries during or before the 45-21 win over England at Ellis Park.
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.