Steve Hansen has pulled back the curtain on the preparation methodology Dave Rennie will be applying as the All Blacks work through their provincial warm-up games ahead of the Springbok series. The framework Hansen describes — Clarity, Intensity, Accuracy — structures the training week progressively: conceptual clarity early, building to a high-intensity session, then stress-testing accuracy under pressure from the non-playing group. Hansen also flags the mental management challenge of an eight-game tour, arguing that switching out of rugby mode and maintaining genuine enjoyment isn't soft — it's what keeps a squad sharp across the long haul. The piece is essentially Hansen translating elite All Black preparation philosophy into plain language, and it gives Springbok supporters a useful lens on what Rennie's squad will actually be doing before they face the Boks.
Hansen's 'CIA' framework: How the All Blacks are building toward the Bok Tests
Hansen breaks down the 'CIA' prep framework — Clarity, Intensity, Accuracy — that Rennie is applying through the All Blacks' provincial warm-up schedule, and explains why mental freshness across an eight-game tour is as critical as the training itself.
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.
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.