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Rennie weighing Savea workload ahead of Springbok Tests
Dave Rennie says Ardie Savea may not start New Zealand's provincial warm-up matches in South Africa in August, with the All Blacks managing their captain's workload ahead of four Tests against the Springboks.
Rankings permutations: How Scotland could reach a new high and what South Africa must avoid
World Rugby's Round Two ranking permutations show South Africa's top spot is safe barring a 15-point loss to Scotland, while a Springbok defeat combined with an All Blacks win over Italy would hand New Zealand first place. Scotland could reach a new high of fourth with a win in Pretoria and a France loss in Brisbane.
Hansen questions whether Borthwick actually knows how England want to play
Hansen and McKenzie argue England's core problem isn't talent — it's a coaching framework built for a different kind of English team, leaving a skilled, athletic squad caught between styles and never fully committing to either.
Tindall and Haskell: England's defensive carousel is the root of the problem — and Shaun Edwards is the obvious fix
Tindall and Haskell dissect England's defensive collapse — four coaches in two years, ballooning points conceded, and a clear fix being ignored in Shaun Edwards. The broader argument is about world-class pedigree vs. potential, and whether Borthwick's setup has enough of the former.
Marshall and Read: All Blacks must hit the ground running before South Africa tour
Marshall and Read argue Rennie must use the Italy and Ireland Tests to lock in combinations and build genuine belief — warning that South African provincial sides will target the All Blacks physically in the midweek games, and that the Boks' squad depth puts them in the same elite tier as Ireland and France.
England look to Fiji for bounce-back after Johannesburg mauling
England's Nations Championship camp eyes a Fiji bounce-back after the Johannesburg hammering, with uncapped back Janse van Rensburg set to come into the frame.
Hansen points the finger at one coaching departure for England's slide
Hansen pins England's five-game losing skid squarely on the departure of Andrew Strawbridge, arguing the Kiwi's specialist skill coaching was the engine behind their 12-game winning streak — and that without him, England have regressed technically and tactically.
Willemse shines, De Villiers impresses, but England's Borthwick problem deepens
Willemse's 50th Test standout, De Villiers and Hanekom's impressive emergency cameos, and the growing Borthwick crisis headline Planet Rugby's Nations Championship round-one wrap — with Fiji's jaw-dropping offload numbers and Roigard's world-class form also in focus.
Borthwick flags aerial game and discipline after England's fifth straight defeat
Steve Borthwick says England's 45-21 defeat in Johannesburg — their fifth loss in a row — highlighted ongoing problems with discipline and the aerial contest, with eight yellow cards now collected in five matches. George Furbank requires emergency surgery and misses the rest of the July window.
Furbank withdrawn from England squad hours before Ellis Park clash
George Furbank has been withdrawn from England's matchday squad ahead of their Nations Championship clash against South Africa at Ellis Park.
Ox Nche braced for Ellis Park scrum battle as England seek World Cup redemption
Springbok loosehead Ox Nche expects a fierce set-piece contest when England visit Ellis Park on Saturday for the Nations Championship opener. The visitors boasted the Six Nations' best scrum success rate and carry motivation from their 2023 World Cup semi-final defeat, with Ellis Genge describing that loss as an 'open wound'. Captain Siya Kolisi and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick dismissed suggestions the Springboks are outright favourites despite their world number one ranking.
England's Blackett-designed backline gets its biggest test yet against the Boks' blitz
Borthwick's team selection is dissected as a full commitment to Blackett's attack system, with each backline choice serving a specific structural purpose — and this weekend's clash with the Boks' blitz is framed as the system's defining early test.
Nations Championship: what Bok fans need to know
The Nations Championship launches 4 July with South Africa vs England as one of the marquee openers — the linked piece covers the format and structure of this new cross-hemisphere competition.
Nations Championship explained: Format, conferences and SA's July fixtures
The Nations Championship is a 12-team cross-hemisphere tournament contested across the July and November windows. South Africa open at home to England on 5 July, followed by Scotland at Loftus and Wales in Durban.
Tandy's warning is music to Springbok ears
Tandy's post-match honesty after Wales' narrow Barbarians win — nearly blowing a 16-point lead — sets the context for their Nations Championship block ending against the Boks in Durban on 18 July.
Koch scores but Barbarians fall short as Wales edge 33-31 thriller
Wales beat the Barbarians 33-31 in a ten-try Twickenham thriller, with Vincent Koch and a two-try George North among the Baabaas' scorers. Wales record back-to-back wins for the first time since the 2023 World Cup ahead of their Nations Championship campaign against Fiji, Argentina and the Springboks.
Marshall warns Rennie: don't put McKenzie or Beauden at 15 again
Marshall is fuming at the prospect of Rennie again deploying McKenzie or Beauden Barrett at full-back, calling it a failed experiment and proposing Jordie Barrett as the safer option — with Jordan's injury potentially lingering into the first Springbok Test, it's a spine problem that could define the series.
Nations Championship launches as rugby's most significant structural shift since professionalism
The Nations Championship, a SANZAAR-Six Nations joint venture featuring the world's 12 strongest teams, launches imminently with July's 'Super Saturdays' and a Finals Weekend at Allianz Stadium in London in November — billed as the sport's biggest structural development since professionalism.
Lake confirmed as Wales captain for Nations Championship, including Springbok clash
Dewi Lake has been confirmed as Wales captain for the Nations Championship, including their match against South Africa, after Jac Morgan's shoulder injury opened the door during the November 2025 series.
Lake confirmed as Wales captain for Nations Championship campaign, including Springbok clash
Dewi Lake has been confirmed as Wales captain for the Nations Championship, including the clash with the Springboks, after edging out Jac Morgan following the flanker's shoulder injury in November 2025.