Keo & Zels: Siya and Eben will rise to the occasion
While their heart says it is the Stormers in Cape Town, the boys know it will be Siya and Eben in Buenos Aires.
Du Toit and Stick relish RGR series as De Allende prepares for 100th cap
Springbok captain Pieter-Steph du Toit and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick have welcomed the four-Test Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks ahead of Saturday's opener at Ellis Park, with Damian de Allende set to become only the 10th Springbok to earn 100 caps.
Predicted XV: Erasmus likely to shelve the surprises for All Blacks opener
A position-by-position predicted XV for Johannesburg, with the tightest calls at 10, tighthead bench cover, and the loose forward slots — and the argument that Erasmus will keep his maverick tendencies in check for the series opener.
Moodie: Argentina Test was vital building block for All Blacks series
Canan Moodie says the hard-fought win over Argentina served its purpose as a match-fitness and combination-building exercise, with the Springboks now fully focused on their four-Test Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks beginning at Ellis Park on August 22.
Moodie: Buenos Aires test was exactly what the Boks needed ahead of RGR
The Springbok squad is back on home soil after their 17-10 win in Buenos Aires, with Canan Moodie saying the match served its purpose in building combinations and match fitness ahead of the four-Test RGR series against New Zealand starting at Ellis Park on 22 August.
Boks and All Blacks both needed that wake-up call
Rich argues both teams were quietly flattered by beatable opponents, but draws a clear distinction: the Boks got broadly positive returns from Buenos Aires despite Kolisi's injury, while the All Blacks head to Ellis Park with more questions than answers after struggling badly against the Stormers' physicality and aerial game.