Taine Randell has pinpointed Tyrel Lomax as the All Blacks' scrum liability in the third Greatest Rivalry Test, arguing that the Springboks' front row — which he rates among the best South Africa has ever produced — is simply the wrong matchup for Lomax's style. His solution for Baltimore: start Fletcher Newell, whose shorter, wider-based frame has historically given the Boks more trouble at the set-piece. With South Africa leading the series 2-1 and having forced a penalty try through scrum dominance in Soweto, Randell's read is that the set-piece battle will again be decisive — and that the All Blacks need a different body type at tighthead to have any chance of squaring the series.
Randell's scrum fix: Drop Lomax, start Newell at tighthead to stop the Bok steamroller
Randell argues Lomax's build is the wrong match for the Springboks' elite front row, and calls for Newell to start at tighthead in Baltimore to neutralise a scrum that's already delivered a penalty try in this series.
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.