Sean Fitzpatrick — the last All Blacks captain to win a series in South Africa, back in 1996 — argues the Greatest Rivalry tour is the ideal World Cup dress rehearsal. His logic: winning four consecutive Tests across the series demands the same squad depth and consistency a World Cup requires, making the series not just a prestige contest but a genuine selection and preparation crucible. He's unambiguous about the current standings, calling the Springboks clearly the best team in the world and crediting Rassie's depth-building as a key reason why. His note of caution for the Boks: the pressure of defending that number-one status is its own challenge. For All Blacks fans, his message is cautiously optimistic — he acknowledges the Nations Championship performances won't be good enough against South Africa, but sees the series as a meaningful opportunity rather than a bridge too far.
Fitzpatrick: Beat the Boks in their backyard and the World Cup takes care of itself
Fitzpatrick argues that winning the Greatest Rivalry series in South Africa is the perfect World Cup springboard — and while he rates the Boks as the world's best, he sees a genuine opportunity for the All Blacks if they raise their game from Nations Championship levels.
- New Zealand
- Springboks
- Rassie Erasmus
- Rugby World Cup
- Nations Championship
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.
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.
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.
Mulder's '95 Warning: Don't Sleep on the All Blacks
1995 World Cup winner Japie Mulder warns against writing off the All Blacks ahead of the four-Test series, drawing on South Africa's own underdog story to argue the gap in rankings doesn't guarantee a comfortable series win.