Morne van den Berg returns to FNB Stadium — where he made his Lions debut — carrying a clear tactical message ahead of the series decider: the Springboks won't be chasing Cam Roigard around the park. Van den Berg's view is straightforward — if the Bok pack wins the collision and controls ruck speed, Roigard's threat neutralises itself. 'It's more about shutting the All Blacks down than shutting Roigard down,' he says, framing the individual matchup as a consequence of forward dominance rather than a tactical target in itself. He also opens up on the adjustment from Lions to Bok defence — describing the national system as noticeably more aggressive — and flags the All Blacks as the most attack-minded side he's faced in a green-and-gold jersey. After recovering from a torn bicep that cost him much of the season, Van den Berg is back off the bench and looking to help South Africa close out the series at home.
Krappie's message: slow the ruck, slow Roigard
Van den Berg argues the Roigard threat is best neutralised through forward pressure rather than individual marking — and reflects on settling into a more aggressive Bok defensive system after his injury comeback.
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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.