Erasmus has named a near-identical side for the third test at Ellis Park, making only two changes — Kolbe to fullback, Arendse on the wing — despite initial intentions to rotate more heavily through this series. His reasoning centres on two things: continuity after a confidence-building win in Cape Town, and a minutes-based fitness argument. He's tracked the cumulative playing time across both squads' last six tests and reckons the Boks carry roughly 60 minutes less fatigue per man than the All Blacks — a buffer he expects to matter in a physical third week. With the series still alive (1-1), Erasmus is explicit that the Baltimore finale is the real prize, and he wants to arrive there leading 2-1. Injury news is broadly positive, with Willemse, Moodie, Williams and Pollard all expected to be fit for the US leg. On the milestones front, Etzebeth reaches 145 caps, the Kolisi-PS du Toit-Wiese loose trio set a new record for most test starts together, and Fourie extends his record as the oldest Springbok ever to take the field.
Erasmus locks in continuity for Ellis Park decider — here's why
Erasmus explains his decision to hold his Cape Town winning combination for Ellis Park, citing a cumulative minutes advantage over the All Blacks and the stakes of a 1-1 series — with Baltimore and the series win firmly in his sights.
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.
Erasmus draws the line: World Cup planning won't come at the cost of winning
Erasmus is unambiguous: squad-building and World Cup prep don't override the drive to win. The piece breaks down how he's balancing depth rotation with a clear selection hierarchy, and what this season's fixture list — England, then four All Blacks Tests — demands of a squad that's broadened over two years and is now being refined.
O'Keeffe stands by his calls in France vs Springboks — still proud, still scarred
O'Keeffe revisits the France-Springboks quarter-final controversy, stands by his performance, and opens up on the personal fallout — while drawing a pointed parallel to Wayne Barnes as someone defined by one call but remembered for a career.
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.
Stephen Donald: Robertson copied the Boks — Rennie must go back to All Blacks DNA
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.