The most consequential call in the Test Two squad is at openside, where Erasmus has named both Kolisi and De Villiers without yet committing to either — and the piece argues this is a genuine either-or, not a positional shift. Both have strong cases: Kolisi's leadership was visibly absent in the 33-16 loss, while De Villiers offers a different carry profile that clicks naturally alongside Du Toit and Wiese. The author suspects whichever one doesn't make the cut will be out of the 23 entirely, making it one of the more loaded calls Erasmus has faced at this position in some time. Elsewhere, Pollard's selection at fly-half is framed as a deliberate pivot back toward control — the 'Tony-ball' system may have been built for Libbok or SFM, but a team chasing a response might just need the ultimate big-game operator rather than the flashier option. The piece also notes that Erasmus has largely held his nerve on the starting XV, with Kolbe and Williams the only ones dropped from the 23 entirely, signalling he believes the first-half blueprint still holds — it was the bench implosion that cost them. On that front, the revised 23 looks more coherent, with Fourie, Esterhuizen and Hanekom's roles clearer and Steenekamp likely to get a proper run at loosehead.
Kolisi vs De Villiers, Pollard's big-game case, and a steadier Bomb Squad — five Bok takeaways
Five analytical takeaways from the Test Two squad: the Kolisi-De Villiers either-or at openside, why Pollard is the right call for a must-respond match, and how Erasmus has reshuffled the Bomb Squad to avoid a repeat meltdown.
Quan Horn at 10, Du Toit's return, and an 18-point Bok win predicted — Boks v Barbarians preview
Quan Horn's surprise start at fly-half headlines a Boks v Barbarians preview that also tracks Du Toit's comeback, Kolbe's kicking duties, and whether the Barbarians can make a better fist of it than last year's 54-7 Cape Town hammering. An 18-point Bok win is predicted.
Horn at 10, a Stormers-heavy Bomb Squad, and five uncapped faces — five things to know about the Boks' Barbarians selection
Erasmus has named Quan Horn at fly-half — his first professional start at 10 — with Kolbe taking kicking duties, a Stormers-heavy Bomb Squad replacing the usual faces, and five uncapped players handed their moment ahead of the Nations Championship.
Boks' Ellis Park demolition of England reveals genuine depth — and sharp halftime adaptability
Cardinelli argues the Ellis Park rout matters less for the scoreline than for what it revealed: a Bok group capable of genuine halftime tactical adjustment — the quality conspicuously absent in the 2025 Wallabies loss — while operating well short of their first-choice squad. The piece weighs what the win tells us about depth, Libbok's revival, and the fringe players who will matter when the All Blacks series rotation bites.
Five things that matter in Erasmus's Barbarians squad
Planet Rugby breaks down the five key talking points from Erasmus's Barbarians squad: Horn's unprecedented fly-half debut, Du Toit's injury comeback, a heavily rotated Bomb Squad drawn entirely from the Stormers, and five uncapped players given their shot before the Nations Championship opener.
Erasmus backs Quan Horn to deliver at 10 as Kolbe takes over kicking duties against Barbarians
Rassie Erasmus has explained the decision to start Quan Horn at fly-half against the Barbarians, citing the unavailability of Pollard, Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Libbok, while confirming Cheslin Kolbe will handle kicking duties to ease Horn into the role.