Jimmy Gopperth, speaking from Brazil where he'd just pulled on the silver fern for the Classic All Blacks at 42, offers a sharp outsider-insider read on where the Greatest Rivalry series stands heading into the decider. His tactical observation is worth noting: Erasmus identified that New Zealand were leaving high balls for the retreating player rather than the man coming forward, then exploited it with short kicks that put the All Blacks under sustained pressure. Gopperth thinks New Zealand need to correct that, get their lineout functioning, and get Jordie Barrett on the ball — not just flying around in defence as he was in Cape Town. On the broader coaching contest, Gopperth is direct: Erasmus's capacity for innovation and motivation makes the Boks materially harder to beat, and the week's scrum controversy will only add fuel. He sees the All Blacks as still very much alive — their lineout collapsed in Cape Town yet they were within seven points — but acknowledges South Africa have the momentum and the smarter tactical read so far. The piece opens, though, with Gopperth's real talking point: Kolisi breaking off at the final whistle to hug Ardie Savea's kids, which he holds up as the truest expression of what this rivalry actually is beneath the coaches' media games.
Gopperth: Erasmus 'sussed out' All Blacks kicking game — and Kolisi-Savea moment is what rugby's about
Gopperth identifies the key tactical adjustment Erasmus made in Cape Town — exploiting New Zealand's retreating high-ball system with short kicks — while rating Erasmus as the series' decisive coaching edge. He still fancies the All Blacks to stay in it if Barrett gets ball in hand and the lineout returns, but acknowledges South Africa have the series read right so far.
- New Zealand
- Rassie Erasmus
- Springboks
- Siya Kolisi
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.
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.
Kolisi treats Barbarians clash as a full Test match ahead of Gqeberha opener
Siya Kolisi insists the Springboks are treating Saturday's Barbarians clash in Gqeberha as a full Test match, with internal competition, positional battles and the season opener's importance all cited as the camp's driving forces.