With the four-test 'Greatest Rivalry' series kicking off at Ellis Park on Saturday, Sean Fitzpatrick — who captained the only All Blacks side to win a series in South Africa — is under no illusions about what Rennie's team faces. His verdict is blunt: New Zealand must execute flawlessly across discipline, set-piece and preparation, because the Boks will punish any lapse. Fitzpatrick flags South Africa's defensive line speed, ball-carrying power and attacking threat as a multi-dimensional challenge, pushing back on any notion that the Boks will look to slow the game down. He's also reasonably satisfied with the Rennie transition and frames this extended tour — the first since 1996 — as invaluable World Cup preparation, provided the All Blacks can handle the pressure of chasing history in hostile territory.
Fitzpatrick: All Blacks can't afford a single mistake against the Boks
Fitzpatrick rates this Bok squad as the complete package and warns that New Zealand must get everything right — discipline, scrum, execution — to have any chance in a series that carries serious World Cup implications for Rennie's team.
Brown confirms post-2027 All Blacks move but eyes World Cup glory with Boks first
Springbok attack coach Tony Brown will join Dave Rennie's All Blacks staff from 2028, but remains committed to helping South Africa win a third successive World Cup title before his departure.
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.
Boks remain top but All Blacks close gap to 2.90 points after Nations Championship opener
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.
Hansen's Right to Back Himself — But the Boks' Five-Match Streak Tells a Different Story
Jean de Villiers acknowledges Hansen's logic but argues last year's results and performances make it hard to see the All Blacks closing the gap on the Boks — and the panel get genuinely animated over what a 2-2 series tiebreaker would even look like.
Keo & Zels: Stubborn All Blacks policy make Boks smile
The boys love that New Zealand keep picking their second-best, long may it continue.