Gavin Rich profiles Ntuthuko Mchunu's breakout URC season, and the central argument is simple: his coach thinks there's still significant improvement to come, which is a genuinely alarming prospect for future opponents. Mchunu earned back-to-back man-of-the-match awards at DHL Stadium, dismantling Cardiff's tighthead Keiron Assiratti so thoroughly in last weekend's quarterfinal that Assiratti was yellow-carded, then forced off injured — with Assiratti's replacement later sin-binned too. Rich traces the arc of a player who only arrived at the Stormers this season after injury delayed his start, converted from loose forward to loosehead on Sean Everitt's suggestion, and who is now drawing Beast Mtawarira comparisons. With just three caps and a Springbok return disrupted by injury, the piece makes the case that Mchunu's international window is very much open — and that the most dangerous version of him is still ahead.
Mchunu is becoming a problem for everyone who isn't a Stormers fan
Mchunu has been the Stormers' standout performer in the URC knockouts, and his coach's warning that there's still more to come from the converted loosehead is the kind of thing Bok selectors should be reading carefully.
What Bordeaux's Champions Cup demolition of Leinster means for SA's URC finals hopes
Rich uses Bordeaux's physical demolition of Leinster as a lens on SA's URC finals prospects — arguing the Stormers cost themselves and their SA counterparts dearly by failing to secure second place, while flagging a scrumhalf depth problem that extends beyond the URC and straight into Erasmus's Bok planning.
Rennie's word for his All Blacks reset: 'Brutality'
Martin Devlin reports that Dave Rennie has told New Zealand media his All Blacks reset centres on 'brutality' over flair — and that Rennie privately selected Richie Mwanga for the tour opener despite NZR eligibility rules blocking him, a conflict Devlin says NZ rugby has yet to resolve.
McCloskey admits 'Zombie' has gotten under Irish skin — and Bok fans know it
McCloskey openly admits the Springbok fanbase's 'Zombie' takeover has gotten under Irish skin, framing it as part of a rivalry that's grown noticeably edgier since South Africa joined the URC.
Dobson backs Mchunu to force his way into Bok reckoning
Mchunu has been the Stormers' form loosehead this URC season, and Dobson is openly predicting a Springbok future for him — while acknowledging overseas interest that could complicate things.
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.