Andrew Mehrtens has been candid in his post-series assessment: a 4-0 Springbok sweep was a genuine possibility, and the All Blacks' consolation win at Ellis Park owed something to fortune going their way on the day. He credits the Boks' consistency as the defining factor — reaching 95 World Rugby ranking points after dismantling the second-ranked side across a four-Test series is, in his words, an extraordinary achievement. On the All Blacks' side, Mehrtens defends Rennie's expansive game plan as not a gamble but a necessity — he argues New Zealand simply don't have the physical profile to grind the Boks into submission over a series, so running the ball was their only realistic path to wins. The flashes of quality were there; the errors and Springbok pressure killed them off. It's a measured, honest take from someone who clearly watched the series closely and isn't spinning the result.
Mehrtens: Boks' ranking dominance 'extraordinary' — and the All Blacks were lucky to avoid a 4-0 whitewash
Mehrtens rates the Springboks' series dominance as extraordinary, admits 4-0 was realistic, and defends the All Blacks' attacking approach as their only viable option against a side too physically imposing to play any other way.
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.