Nick Mallett welcomes Jan-Hendrik Wessels getting the nod at hooker for the remainder of the Nations Championship, but the piece centres on his concern about what lies behind Wessels in the pecking order — with Malcolm Marx's availability always a variable, thin cover at hooker is a genuine squad vulnerability worth tracking.
Mallett backs Wessels but flags hooker depth concern
Mallett approves of Wessels's selection but raises a pointed question about Bok hooker depth beyond Marx — worth reading for the full breakdown of the position's cover options.
A Golden Era Earned: Why This Bok Generation Finally Cracked the Between-World-Cups Code
Rich argues the post-2019 Bok generation has finally cracked the code no previous World Cup-winning squad managed — sustained dominance between tournaments — and makes the case that this is the greatest period of consistent Bok rugby in the professional era.
Marx tops the world: Planet Rugby ranks the game's best hookers
Marx is ranked the world's best hooker by Planet Rugby — built on his 2025 Rugby Championship try-scoring, World Rugby Player of the Year honours, and a post-injury Nations Championship that reminded everyone what sits behind those numbers.
Rassie's selection philosophy meets the Greatest Rivalry: what the Ellis Park 23 should look like
De Koning makes the case that Erasmus must shelve rotation thinking for the Ellis Park All Blacks Test and pick for winning now, with the 10 jersey and Kolisi's fitness the two variables that define the matchday 23.
Grobbelaar and Hanekom stand out in a scratchy Bok win over Los Pumas
Opperman's ratings from the narrow Argentina win highlight Grobbelaar and Hanekom as the standouts, but paint a broader picture of rust and underperformance across a squad returning from injury — with real implications for Rugby Championship selection.
SFM back, Kolisi returns, and an unlucky trio misses the cut — Bok team for Argentina dissected
Feinberg-Mngomezulu returns at flyhalf, Kolisi and the Etzebeth–De Jager lock pairing are back, and three players with legitimate claims miss the matchday cut entirely — the piece breaks down every winner and loser from Erasmus's 13-change team for Buenos Aires.