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Springboks base in Terrigal ahead of Perth Test as Erasmus flags Wallabies threat
The Springboks have arrived in Australia and based themselves in Terrigal ahead of their 27 September Test against the Wallabies at Optus Stadium in Perth, with Erasmus warning of a different challenge to those posed by Argentina and the All Blacks.
Wallabies playmaker puzzle clouds a genuine shot at the Springboks
Kiss's decision to overlook Lolesio is the analytical core here, set against a genuine case that a rotated Springbok side in Perth is there to be beaten — with an added swipe at All Blacks referee complaints.
Three World Rugby POTYs left out of Kitshoff and Nyakane's greatest rivalry XV
Kitshoff and Nyakane's combined Bok-All Black XV from Rugby's Greatest Rivalry omits three World Rugby POTYs — Marx is the only winner to make a nine-Bok, six-All Black side.
Van der Merwe fit and available as Munster prepare for URC opener
Marnus van der Merwe has recovered from the calf injury he brought to Munster and is available for selection ahead of their URC opener against Glasgow Warriors, with his return also welcome news for Springbok hooker depth.
Springboks' series triumph masks persistent attacking shortcomings despite 3-1 win
South Africa's 3-1 series victory over New Zealand showcased the world champions' trademark resilience, but exposed lingering issues in converting pressure into points. After falling behind at Ellis Park, the Springboks relied on their set-piece dominance to grind out three consecutive wins, though matches remained tight deep into second halves. Individual brilliance from Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse papered over cracks that may yet prove costly in tighter contests.
Backs ratings: Who starred, who struggled across the four-Test series
Planet Rugby rates all 11 Bok backs across the Greatest Rivalry series — van den Berg and Arendse top the charts, SFM gets a pointed 6, and both starting scrumhalves finish the tour with less standing than they started with.
RGR Report Card: Every Bok Rated Across the Four Tests
A player-by-player ratings breakdown of all 30 Boks across the RGR series, with Malcolm Marx the standout (9) and the fly-half position still a live debate — plus honest assessments of who rose and fell across four Tests.
Post-RGR, Erasmus has the breathing room to experiment — and plenty of reasons to use it
Rich argues the RGR win gives Erasmus the political capital to resume his rotation agenda, and maps the selection pressures — hooker depth, Pollard's place, Dixon's fitness, and potential squad gambles for the November Nations Championship leg — that will define the Boks' remainder of 2026.
Willemse: Boks built through the series — nothing came easy against the All Blacks
Willemse pushes back on any comfortable-win narrative, noting the series decider in Baltimore was a three-point game until the 65th minute, and that the Boks were genuinely poor in the opening Ellis Park loss. His read: the squad's real achievement was the improvement arc across four Tests, not the 3-1 scoreline.
RGR win buys Rassie the freedom to experiment — here's what comes next
The RGR series win — achieved with notably little rotation — has given Erasmus the freedom to experiment from Perth onwards. Rich maps the key selection questions: hooker depth, Pollard's flyhalf claim, Porthen at tighthead, and a crowded back three. He also argues the November away leg could see Erasmus take calculated risks with his squad given the pressure is now off.
Van den Berg's audition shifts the halfback depth conversation
Van den Berg's standout showing in the series decider has caught attention beyond South African circles — the piece looks at what his form means for Bok scrumhalf depth and Erasmus's selection headaches.
RGR series review: Bok flexes, All Black flops, and a scheduling question worth asking
A thorough post-mortem on the RGR series — covering the Boks' tactical evolution in Baltimore, the milestone haul, the All Blacks' media games and post-series whinging, and a sharp question about whether shipping the final Test to the USA served the series well.
3-1 over the All Blacks: What drove the Springbok recovery and what it reveals about Erasmus
A post-series debrief on the Boks' 3-1 Greatest Rivalry win, analysing how Erasmus turned a humiliating Ellis Park loss into a commanding series victory, who starred across the four Tests, and why the warm-up scheduling was the one real own goal.
How the Boks turned a humiliating Ellis Park loss into a 3-1 series triumph
A full post-series breakdown of the Boks' 3-1 Greatest Rivalry win, arguing that Erasmus's in-series adjustments were the turning point — while flagging the preparation miscalculation that handed the All Blacks the opener.
Erasmus reflects on Greatest Rivalry revival after Springboks claim series
Rassie Erasmus has spoken about the significance of the revived Greatest Rivalry series against New Zealand, which the Springboks won 3-1 after matches on home soil and a finale in Baltimore. The head coach drew on memories of the isolation era and the 1996 All Blacks tour to South Africa, emphasising the series rekindled the intensity that defines Test rugby between the two nations. Erasmus also acknowledged the competitive edge extended beyond the pitch, with both coaching camps and media outlets fully engaged throughout the campaign.
How Rennie's scrum crusade handed Rassie the psychological edge
Nel argues Rennie's escalating scrum complaints handed Rassie a psychological weapon — firing up the Bok pack while Erasmus quietly out-coached him. The Barnes post-series interview becomes the piece's sharpest exhibit: an accidental admission that referees should only penalise what suits New Zealand.
Matfield winds up Kirwan with deadpan claim that All Blacks slowed Baltimore test
Matfield deadpans that the All Blacks slowed the Baltimore test down, Kirwan loses his composure, and the whole exchange is a masterclass in post-series needle.
The gap is bigger than Rassie lets on
Despite Erasmus playing down the gap, this piece argues the aggregate scoreline flatters New Zealand — breaking down the series test-by-test across breakdown, set piece, defence, and discipline to show South Africa's dominance widened sharply from Johannesburg to Baltimore.
Renewed KLA puts Wallabies on red alert
Arendse's Baltimore performance reignited his Rugby's Greatest Rivalry campaign, and Hermanus argues it's a timely warning for Australia ahead of their next Bok encounter.
Matfield: Pressure off, now watch the Boks play
Matfield argues the All Blacks series pressure forced the Boks back to basics, and now expects Erasmus to pursue a more expansive attacking game and rotate aggressively — with the Nations Championship serving as the real World Cup audition for fringe players.