Stephen Donald has singled out Josh Moorby as a standout surprise in the All Blacks' squad for Saturday's Test at Ellis Park — and his reasoning goes beyond the selection itself. Speaking on The Aftermatch, Donald acknowledged Fabian Holland's inclusion after a serious shoulder injury as the headline shock, but argued Moorby's story is equally compelling. With Clarke unavailable through injury and Leroy Carter relegated to the bench, the number 11 jersey was up for grabs — and Moorby claimed it off the back of a career-defining Super Rugby Pacific campaign with the Hurricanes. Donald's point is that Moorby would barely have registered on the All Blacks' radar at the start of the year, but his return from a stint at Montpellier coincided with a leap in his game — specifically the kind of X-factor that, in Donald's words, you either have or you don't. For Springbok supporters, it's worth knowing who New Zealand are banking on out wide — and why Rennie appears to trust a player with limited Test experience for one of rugby's biggest occasions.
Stephen Donald backs Moorby's X-factor to shine against the Boks at Ellis Park
Stephen Donald flags Josh Moorby as the All Blacks' quietly significant selection for Ellis Park — a player who barely registered at the start of the year but has forced his way in through a career-best Super Rugby campaign and, according to Donald, an X-factor that sets him apart from merely reliable footballers.
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.