Cam Roigard has been candid about the challenge posed by Grant Williams and Cobus Reinach, highlighting their ruck speed, ability to exploit a half-gap, and the danger they present off scrums. After years of injury-enforced absences from Bok clashes on South African soil, Roigard is finally set to face the Boks at Ellis Park — and he's not underestimating them. He's also flagged South Africa's box-kicking as a weapon the All Blacks have specifically planned for, acknowledging the Boks will make life significantly harder than New Zealand's first three Tests of the year suggested. His broader read on the match: whichever team adapts fastest when their primary game plan is disrupted will win it.
Roigard flags Williams and Reinach as genuine threats ahead of Ellis Park Test
Roigard previews the Ellis Park Test with a frank assessment of Williams and Reinach — their speed, ruck threat, and kicking platform — while revealing the All Blacks have a specific plan to neutralise the Bok box-kick. He believes adaptability on the night will be the deciding factor.
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.