Nick Mallett's read on the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series is that both sides came away better informed. For the Springboks, the two-Test comeback after a poor opener gave Erasmus confirmation that the older, experienced core of the squad still has the legs and the leadership to perform when it matters — with the World Cup a year away, that's a significant finding. But Mallett doesn't sugarcoat it: the All Blacks scored 13 tries to South Africa's eight across the series, and he believes New Zealand identified a way to move around the Bok defence — a vulnerability Erasmus will need to address. On the New Zealand side, Mallett sees a squad that absorbed serious South African physicality without several key players, and views Barrett, Williams and others yet to return from injury as significant depth still to reintegrate ahead of the World Cup.
Mallett: RGR confirmed Bok veterans still have it — but All Blacks cracked the Springbok defence
Mallett argues the RGR series gave Erasmus the veteran confirmation he needed — but also exposed a defensive vulnerability the All Blacks were able to exploit, with the try count telling a more complicated story than the series result.
- Springboks
- Rassie Erasmus
- Rugby World Cup
- New Zealand
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.
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.
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.