Cheslin Kolbe's 18-point haul with the boot — three conversions, four penalties — was the difference in Cape Town as the Boks levelled the Greatest Rivalry series at 1-1 with a 33-26 win. The piece centres on Kolbe's post-match reflections, including his candid admission that the mood around the camp was flat after Ellis Park — the 'Blou Maandag' effect — and how the group channelled that into motivation rather than anxiety. His goal-kicking is framed not as a recent development but as a skill quietly built across his professional career, sharpened through his Japan stint and now embedded in the Springbok gameplan under Tony Brown's guidance. Kolbe is also shifting to fullback for the third Test at FNB Stadium, where both sides know the All Blacks will be coming back hard. His read on what's coming — a wounded New Zealand side with a point to prove — sets the tone for what the Boks need to tighten up before Joburg.
Kolbe's boot steadies Boks as series heads to Joburg locked at 1-1
Kolbe's 18-point kicking display levelled the series in Cape Town, and he reflects on the camp's post-Ellis Park mood, his goal-kicking development, and what a fired-up All Blacks side will bring in the third Test.
- Cheslin Kolbe
- Springboks
- New Zealand
- FNB Stadium
- Tony Brown
- Rugby Championship
Erasmus welcomes clarity on Tony Brown's post-2027 departure: 'We've made the mistake in the past'
Tony Brown will join the All Blacks coaching staff in 2028 after his Springbok contract expires at the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with Rassie Erasmus welcoming the early clarity as SA Rugby looks to avoid the contractual uncertainty that complicated preparations for France 2023.
Tony Brown to join All Blacks backroom staff in 2028 after Springbok contract ends
NZR have confirmed Tony Brown will join the All Blacks' backroom staff in 2028 on a two-year contract, with the Springboks attack coach set to depart after the 2027 Rugby World Cup. It is the third time NZR have pursued Brown, having previously been rejected during the Foster and Robertson eras.
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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.
Brown confirms post-2027 All Blacks move but eyes World Cup glory with Boks first
Springbok attack coach Tony Brown will join Dave Rennie's All Blacks staff from 2028, but remains committed to helping South Africa win a third successive World Cup title before his departure.