Steve Hansen is bullish about the upcoming Springbok-All Blacks series precisely because of how starkly the two teams' approaches differ — but his preview comes wrapped in broader observations about where the game is and isn't heading in the right direction. He's encouraged by a perceived shift in referee philosophy toward rewarding attacking rugby, and points to reduced kicking volumes and more ball movement across the Southern Series as signs of a healthier game. But he's clear-eyed about the Boks' maul-dominant set-piece strategy: he finds it aesthetically frustrating, even while acknowledging it's rational and effective.
His sharpest concern is the contestable kicking battle — with winning teams reclaiming over 50% of those kicks, the incentive to keep kicking is self-reinforcing, and Hansen thinks defences need to find answers or the trend will entrench itself further. He also flags a creeping referee leniency on crooked lineout throws when defenders compete in the air — the kind of small inconsistency that, through the butterfly effect, quietly distorts how teams approach the lineout altogether. For Bok supporters watching a South African team that thrives precisely in these set-piece and kicking-contest grey zones, Hansen's analysis of what the All Blacks must solve is worth reading in full.