With the Greatest Rivalry Series a month away, All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has offered a candid and respectful appraisal of what South Africa represent — and what his side must do to compete. Rennie openly admires the depth Erasmus has built across Japan, Europe and the URC, acknowledging the Boks' ability to rotate heavily and still dominate opponents like Scotland. His tactical read is clear-eyed: South Africa will target the set-piece and collisions to slow New Zealand down, while the All Blacks — who lead the Nations Championship in carries and passes — will back their tempo and attacking width to create an edge. The piece frames the four-Test series (starting at Ellis Park on 22 August) as a genuine clash of philosophies, with New Zealand's last series win in South Africa dating back to 1996. Rennie isn't shying away from the scale of the challenge, but his tone suggests a side that has rediscovered its identity and believes the timing is right.
Rennie's honest assessment: Rassie is 'one of the most innovative coaches in world rugby'
Rennie calls Erasmus one of the game's most innovative coaches ahead of the Greatest Rivalry Series, while framing the four-Test contest as a direct collision between Bok physicality and All Black tempo — with New Zealand's last series win in South Africa now 29 years ago.
- New Zealand
- Springboks
- Rassie Erasmus
- Scotland
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.
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.
Mulder's '95 Warning: Don't Sleep on the All Blacks
1995 World Cup winner Japie Mulder warns against writing off the All Blacks ahead of the four-Test series, drawing on South Africa's own underdog story to argue the gap in rankings doesn't guarantee a comfortable series win.
So how deep is the Springbok squad?
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