Ntuthuko Mchunu's journey from schoolboy No 8 to Stormers loosehead cult hero is a story of reluctant conversion done right. In this Gavin Rich feature, Mchunu opens up about how Sean Everitt had to make the same suggestion three times before he took it seriously — initially reading it as a joke, then as a slight on his loose-forward ability, before finally being won over. The turning point, he says, was watching the Bok front row dominate the 2019 World Cup. Seeing Beast, Kitshoff, Marx and company perform at that level reframed scrumming for him entirely, making the coalface feel like somewhere worth being. The piece draws a neat parallel with Mtawarira's own reluctant switch two decades earlier, charting how both men needed a coach's nudge before buying in fully. Now settled at the Stormers after Kitshoff's retirement opened the door, Mchunu is building serious momentum — try-scoring form, scrum dominance against Glasgow, and a first Bok shot back in his sights if the playoff run delivers.
From No 8 to 'New Beast': How Everitt's persistence and the 2019 Boks converted Mchunu to loosehead
Gavin Rich profiles Mchunu's conversion from loose-forward to loosehead, tracing how Everitt's persistence and the 2019 Bok World Cup triumph convinced him the front row was where his future lay — and why he now has one eye on adding to his three Bok caps.
Who steps up at hooker if Marx is seriously hurt?
Marx's playoff injury has exposed South Africa's unresolved hooker depth problem. The piece assesses the full candidate pool — Wessels, Grobbelaar, Van Staden, Venter, Dweba and teenage prospect Mnebelele — and what 2026 might look like as the last real development window before the World Cup.
Mchunu embracing Stormers move as front-row journey continues
Ntuthuko Mchunu, who captained Maritzburg College at No.8 in 2018, has spoken about his conversion to prop, crediting Sean Everitt with convincing him to make the switch. Now with the Stormers after moving from the Sharks in March 2025, the 27-year-old has three Test caps and is focused on helping the Cape Town side win silverware before pushing for further Bok recognition.
The Barbarians hit-out is a key cog in Rassie's World Cup machine
Nel makes the case that the Barbarians fixture is less about the result and more about Erasmus stress-testing depth, blooding uncapped talent, and keeping the World Cup-winning core fresh — all with 2027 firmly in mind.
Janse van Rensburg at the top of England's centre pecking order — and what it means for the Boks
Borthwick's centre headache has a new frontrunner: Janse van Rensburg is rated the likely starter at 12 for England's Tests against Fiji and Argentina, though he's ineligible for the opener against the Springboks. The piece ranks all options at 12 and 13, with Freeman locked in outside and Slade unlucky to be on the fringes.
Rennie's word for his All Blacks reset: 'Brutality'
Martin Devlin reports that Dave Rennie has told New Zealand media his All Blacks reset centres on 'brutality' over flair — and that Rennie privately selected Richie Mwanga for the tour opener despite NZR eligibility rules blocking him, a conflict Devlin says NZ rugby has yet to resolve.