Robert Kitson's Breakdown column dissects the second Test in Cape Town, where South Africa levelled the series 1-1 against New Zealand. The analytical focus is squarely on Erasmus's pre-match team announcement — six players from the original starting XV didn't make it to kick-off — which Kitson frames as deliberate psychological gamesmanship rather than genuine injury or tactical revision. The piece argues that, love him or loathe him, Erasmus remains a step ahead in the information war that surrounds this fixture. The broader series picture is a reinvigorated All Blacks side still very much in the hunt across the remaining two Tests.
AnalysisSpringboksThe Guardian Rugby · Rugby365 · Planet Rugby +1
Erasmus's selection mind games level the series — but New Zealand aren't done
Kitson picks apart Erasmus's six-player last-minute reshuffle before the Cape Town Test — deliberate mind games or shrewd tactics? Either way, South Africa are level at 1-1, but New Zealand are far from finished in this four-Test series.
- Springboks
- New Zealand
- Rassie Erasmus
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So how deep is the Springbok squad?
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