Ex-hooker Hanyani Shimange argues that New Zealand's set-piece struggles against the Boks in the third Test at FNB Stadium weren't a surprise — the Stormers mauled them and the Lions pushed them over in a scrum in the opening tour fixtures, and the All Blacks coaching staff did nothing about it. Shimange is blunt: the maul-defence strategy is a coaching failure, while the scrum deficit is a personnel problem with no easy fix. Dave Rennie's complaints about Springbok illegality get short shrift — Shimange credits a generational run of elite South African loosehead props (Mtawarira, Malherbe, now Wilco Louw) as the real explanation. Schalk Burger adds useful context: the All Blacks' pack was dominant in set-piece against everyone else in the Nations Championship, which points to the gap between the world's top two scrummaging nations rather than a systemic All Blacks collapse.
Shimange: All Blacks' scrum and maul woes are a coaching failure — and the warning signs were there all tour
Shimange dissects the All Blacks' set-piece mauling in the third Test, arguing it was a preventable coaching failure — the warning signs came from the Stormers and Lions early in the tour, and Rennie's staff didn't adapt. Worth reading for the breakdown of personnel vs coaching accountability.
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.
Erasmus welcomes clarity on Tony Brown's post-2027 departure: 'We've made the mistake in the past'
Tony Brown will join the All Blacks coaching staff in 2028 after his Springbok contract expires at the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with Rassie Erasmus welcoming the early clarity as SA Rugby looks to avoid the contractual uncertainty that complicated preparations for France 2023.
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.
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.