Gavin Rich's weekly diary from Johannesburg captures something psychologically interesting about following the Boks in this era: a single defeat has become such a rarity that its ghost distorts how we read games long afterwards. The halftime anxiety among the South African press pack at Ellis Park — despite a 17-14 lead — was directly traceable to last August's collapse against Australia on the same ground. English journalists, who hadn't been through that experience, saw the same match and called it a non-event. That perceptual gap is Rich's jumping-off point.
From there, the column ranges widely. Rich argues that Erasmus's 10-change selection for the Scotland game isn't a gamble but a pre-announced plan — one Rassie flagged as far back as February and delivered on after beating England. The press room's muted reaction to those changes, Rich notes, reflects growing trust in Erasmus's system rather than complacency. He also identifies what he sees as a structural trend across both the senior and Junior Boks: slow-poison physicality that allows opponents early hope before the South African bench and fitness advantage takes over. The All Blacks' changed template under Rennie — less kicking, designed to avoid Bok strengths — gets a flag as the subplot to watch heading into the Greatest Rivalry Series. And Rich closes with a pointed observation about ticket pricing: lowered prices brought 50 000 fans to Ellis Park, and that should be the starting point next time, not a last-minute correction.