Cardinelli's central argument is that the Boks should be approaching Saturday's Nations Championship opener with far more respect for England than the outside world is showing them. The piece draws a direct parallel with the 2025 Rugby Championship opener at the same venue, where an Australia side written off before kick-off dismantled the Boks 38-22 in the second half — the game Erasmus famously called 'dogshit'. The pattern isn't isolated either: Ellis Park has repeatedly produced chaotic, high-scoring affairs that have caught the Boks flat, from the 42-39 scare against England in 2018 to the 35-23 loss to the All Blacks in 2022. Cardinelli notes that England, despite arriving without Itoje and carrying a four-game losing streak, finished 2025 with 11 consecutive wins and pushed France to 48-46 in this year's Six Nations finale. The Northampton contingent in the squad — Pollock, Fin Smith, Freeman — thrive in the kind of open game Ellis Park's fast surface tends to produce.
Ellis Park has bitten the Boks before — England's visit is no gimme
Cardinelli warns that Ellis Park's track record of chaos, combined with an underestimated England side built around Northampton's attacking game, makes Saturday's Nations Championship opener a genuine trap — drawing a sharp parallel with the Wallabies ambush at the same venue last year.
Erasmus welcomes clarity on Tony Brown's post-2027 departure: 'We've made the mistake in the past'
Tony Brown will join the All Blacks coaching staff in 2028 after his Springbok contract expires at the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with Rassie Erasmus welcoming the early clarity as SA Rugby looks to avoid the contractual uncertainty that complicated preparations for France 2023.
Rassie's Nations Championship reckoning: the July squads that will shape RWC 2027
A demographic deep-dive into the seven leading RWC 2027 contenders argues the Nations Championship compresses the selection cycle by a year, placing Erasmus at the sharpest decision point: defend the title with the 2023 spine or finally acknowledge the cost of carrying an ageing pack into Australian conditions.
Tony Brown to join All Blacks backroom staff in 2028 after Springbok contract ends
NZR have confirmed Tony Brown will join the All Blacks' backroom staff in 2028 on a two-year contract, with the Springboks attack coach set to depart after the 2027 Rugby World Cup. It is the third time NZR have pursued Brown, having previously been rejected during the Foster and Robertson eras.
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.
James Doleman to referee South Africa v England as World Rugby confirms Nations Championship officials
James Doleman will referee South Africa v England at Ellis Park on 4 July, with Andrew Brace and Pierre Brousset as assistants, as World Rugby confirms the full list of officials for the July leg of the 2026 Nations Championship.