Dave Rennie is standing by his squad's ability despite dropping three straight to South Africa, insisting the results don't reflect the team's actual level. His read: the Boks series exposed execution gaps, not a talent deficit, and six Tests remaining — starting with back-to-back Bledisloe clashes — give New Zealand the chance to correct the record. Rennie rates this Wallabies side as genuinely dangerous after their Perth performance, noting the core of that group has been together since his own time in charge of Australia. His longer-term framing is pointed: he's building a game style he believes can win a World Cup, and while the public pressure is real, he sees the Springbok Tests as showing glimpses of what that looks like when it clicks. The piece is essentially Rennie managing expectations while making clear he expects more from his side over the back half of the year.
Rennie backs All Blacks quality despite Springbok series loss
Rennie insists the All Blacks are better than their 3-1 series record against the Boks suggests, and frames the remaining six Tests — starting with the Bledisloe — as the opportunity to prove it.
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.
Brown confirms post-2027 All Blacks move but eyes World Cup glory with Boks first
Springbok attack coach Tony Brown will join Dave Rennie's All Blacks staff from 2028, but remains committed to helping South Africa win a third successive World Cup title before his departure.
Tony Brown to join All Blacks backroom staff in 2028 after Springbok contract ends
NZR have confirmed Tony Brown will join the All Blacks' backroom staff in 2028 on a two-year contract, with the Springboks attack coach set to depart after the 2027 Rugby World Cup. It is the third time NZR have pursued Brown, having previously been rejected during the Foster and Robertson eras.
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.
Rassie's Nations Championship reckoning: the July squads that will shape RWC 2027
A demographic deep-dive into the seven leading RWC 2027 contenders argues the Nations Championship compresses the selection cycle by a year, placing Erasmus at the sharpest decision point: defend the title with the 2023 spine or finally acknowledge the cost of carrying an ageing pack into Australian conditions.