All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan isn't pretending the South African setpiece isn't a problem — he's treating it as the central challenge his pack must solve over the coming weeks. Speaking ahead of Friday's tour opener against the Stormers, Ryan framed the South African leg as deliberate preparation for the Bok test series, with the franchise games a chance to sharpen forwards who haven't experienced this environment before. He was unambiguous about New Zealand's recent struggles at scrum time against South Africa, referencing "tough old lessons" and the difference between facing the Boks at home versus on their turf. His message: respect the South African identity around scrum and maul, but take it head-on rather than sidestep it. With new faces in the group and a tight timeline to the first test, how quickly Ryan's pack coheres under that kind of pressure will likely be the tour's defining subplot.
Ryan's All Blacks won't flinch from the scrum battle — but know the stakes
Jason Ryan acknowledges the South African setpiece as the All Blacks' primary challenge on tour, framing the Stormers and other franchise games as deliberate preparation to confront — not avoid — the scrum battle ahead of the test 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.