Victor Matfield identifies two structural concerns heading into the Bledisloe Cup opener at Eden Park. On the RGR series, his verdict is straightforward: New Zealand lost the big moments, not because South Africa were dominant throughout, but because the Boks' experienced core consistently made the right calls under pressure — something the All Blacks couldn't match. He sees the returns of Barrett and Frizell, plus Mo'unga's extended run at 10, as meaningful upgrades, though he tempers expectations around Mo'unga given the step up from Japanese club rugby.
The sharper warning is about the Wallabies. Matfield notes that Australia actually outplayed South Africa in the aerial contest — an area where the All Blacks struggled in all four RGR Tests. With Sua'ali'i dangerous under the high ball wherever Les Kiss deploys him, and the Australian forwards having fronted up physically against the Boks' pack in Perth, Matfield sees New Zealand being tested in exactly the areas their RGR campaign exposed. The piece is worth reading for Matfield's granular breakdown of where those All Blacks vulnerabilities sit and how Australia are positioned to exploit them.