John Kirwan is convinced Mo'unga will feature against the Springboks this year, NZR's eligibility rules notwithstanding. The mechanism, Kirwan argues, is simple: a conveniently timed Canterbury injury clears the path. Victor Matfield drew the obvious parallel — Rassie pulling Pollard into the 2023 World Cup squad off the back of Marx's injury — suggesting both camps know exactly how these things work. NZ Rugby CEO Steve Lancaster has publicly restated the rules, but Kirwan's read is that nobody, including the governing body, would lose sleep over bending them for a tour of South Africa. The piece also touches on the broader fly-half picture, with Ruben Love's Hurricanes form adding genuine pressure on Barrett and McKenzie, though Kirwan notes the 10 role's complexity means Love may need more runway than his raw talent suggests.
Kirwan certain Mo'unga tours SA — and expects a Pollard-style workaround
Kirwan predicts Mo'unga tours South Africa via a staged injury workaround — Matfield's Pollard comparison makes the template explicit — while the crowded All Blacks 10 jersey adds another layer to the selection intrigue.
- Springboks
- Rassie Erasmus
- Handré Pollard
- Malcolm Marx
- New Zealand
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.
Kirwan backs Mo'unga loophole — and Matfield sees a Pollard precedent
Kirwan is certain Mo'unga tours South Africa via an injury loophole, with Matfield citing the Rassie/Pollard RWC precedent — and NZR's CEO publicly holding the line changes nothing in Kirwan's view.
Keo & Zels: Stubborn All Blacks policy make Boks smile
The boys love that New Zealand keep picking their second-best, long may it continue.