With Dave Rennie's scrum accusations still reverberating after the two-Test series, Planet Rugby canvasses two respected outside voices. Hansen's take is characteristically pragmatic — no team scrums straight, so it ultimately comes down to what the referee decides to police. McKenzie goes further, flatly saying he watched the games and didn't see the Springboks walking around, framing the whole debate as over-heated. His more pointed criticism is actually aimed at how scrums are being refereed generally, arguing that turning set-pieces into free-kick festivals before engagement even happens serves nobody. On Erasmus's last-minute front-row switch before the Cape Town Test, McKenzie is dismissive of any tactical genius: the reshuffle simply meant both sides ended up running their strongest scrummaging units against each other in the second half anyway, with largely stable platforms as the result.
Storm in a teacup: Hansen and McKenzie weigh in on the Bok scrum row
Hansen and McKenzie both pour cold water on Rennie's walking-around claims — neither buys it as a serious accusation, with McKenzie calling it a storm in a teacup and questioning whether Erasmus's front-row switch actually achieved anything tactically.
- Springboks
- Rassie Erasmus
So how deep is the Springbok squad?
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Erasmus: 'We don't see the Nations Championship as a competition'
Erasmus says the Boks won't adjust their approach to chase Nations Championship log points — each Test is treated as a standalone match, with squad rotation across the window as the priority over competition standings.
Smith vows England will 'leave it all out there' against Springboks
Marcus Smith says England's 36-man squad, arriving in Johannesburg on Thursday, are targeting a historic win over the Springboks in the Nations Championship opener, having trained in oxygen masks to prepare for the Highveld.
Contepomi: Boks have cracked the balance — and that's what makes them dangerous
Contepomi argues the Boks' real danger lies in their evolving balance between forward dominance and expansive attack — and flags sustained possession as the best way to exploit their defence.
Rassie on Alles Ep 1 | The Barbarians in the Bay
The #Springboks kick off their season against the Barbarians in Gqeberha, a place close to the hearts of Rassie Erasmus, Mzwandile Stick, and Deon Davids. The three Bok coaches discuss why it's special to return to the Eastern Cape and what