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1,112 items · Springboks
Hansen unconvinced the Boks have truly changed their stripes
Hansen argues the Boks' attacking evolution under Brown is surface-level — that when it counts, Erasmus's side will fall back on their traditional strengths. The piece unpacks his reasoning and the broader debate around how fundamentally South Africa's game has actually changed.
SARU's ticket smoke and mirrors: The questions they won't answer
De Koning dissects SARU's Ellis Park spin — challenging their attendance figures, the unexplained mid-week price cuts, undisclosed free-ticket numbers, and the ongoing Loftus suite-holder revolt — and argues SARU need to publicly own a clear miscalculation of demand for Nations Championship Tests before the situation turns legal.
Mchunu's Stormers move turned potential into a Bok recall
Mchunu's move to the Stormers produced the best season of his career — elite URC numbers across carrying, defending and tries — and the piece breaks down exactly why those performances made his Bok recall inevitable.
Hansen: The Boks don't actually want to play fast — and everyone knows how to beat them, but can't
Hansen dismisses the 'new attacking Boks' narrative, arguing South Africa still win through kicking and physicality — and outlines exactly how opponents need to frustrate them to have any chance.
Vermeulen challenges Roos to shed Stormers flair for Bok structure against Scotland
Evan Roos will start at No.8 against Scotland on Saturday, with Springbok Mobi-Unit coach Duane Vermeulen urging the 26-year-old to adapt from the Stormers' expansive style to the structure demanded at Test level. Vermeulen praised Roos' physical tools and energy but emphasised the need for precision in a faster, more intense international environment. The former Bok No.8 revealed coaching staff have worked extensively on Roos' soft skills to complement his gainline threat.
Vermeulen unpacks what Evan Roos needs to crack Test rugby
Vermeulen says the Bok coaching staff have invested heavily in refining Roos's soft skills to bridge the URC-to-Test gap — but with a start against Scotland, the ball is now firmly in Roos's court.
Vermeulen sees Scotland clash as Roos's moment of truth
Vermeulen backs Roos to use the Scotland Nations Championship fixture as a platform to cement his Springbok credentials.
Erasmus calls World Rugby's law enforcement a game-changer after Nations Championship opener
Erasmus breaks down why the Nations Championship's opening round produced beautiful rugby — arguing that tighter enforcement of maul, kick-contest, and scrum laws is structurally reshaping how the game is played, not just how it looks.
Russell set to return as Scotland prepare for Loftus Versfeld test
Scotland flyhalf Finn Russell is expected to be available for Saturday's Nations Championship clash against the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld after recovering from a calf injury. The influential playmaker missed the opening victory over Argentina but has trained fully this week in South Africa.
Russell set to return as Scotland prepare for Loftus test
Finn Russell is on track to face the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday after shaking off his calf injury, while prop Elliot Millar Mills is ruled out for the rest of Scotland's Nations Championship campaign with a similar complaint.
Russell cleared to face Springboks as Scotland lose Millar Mills to injury
Finn Russell has been cleared of his calf injury and is expected to start against the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, while tighthead Elliot Millar Mills has returned home injured with no replacement called up.
Vermeulen warns Boks of Scottish threat as old clubmates prepare to clash
The Springboks are bracing for a dangerous Scotland side at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, with Mobi-Unit coach Duane Vermeulen cautioning against underestimating visitors who have already proven themselves in South African conditions. Several players will face former clubmates in a Nations Championship encounter shaped by recent URC battles, while Edwill van der Merwe highlighted the cohesion of a Scottish back three built around Edinburgh and Glasgow cores.
Vermeulen: Don't sleep on Scotland's defence or their forwards
Vermeulen leans on the Bulls contingent's hard-won experience against Glasgow to make the case that Scotland's threat goes well beyond their backline — their defence and forward mobility are the areas he says the Boks are working hardest on ahead of Loftus.
Van der Merwe and Venter bring inside knowledge into Springbok camp ahead of Scotland Test
Edwill van der Merwe and loosehead Boan Venter bring direct knowledge of the Scottish squad into Saturday's Nations Championship Test at Loftus, with Van der Merwe set for his sixth cap against a back three he rates as a genuine danger, and Vermeulen identifying transition off turnovers as the key battleground.
Vermeulen: Roos must shelve the Stormers' freestyle for Bok structure
Vermeulen backs Roos's talent but flags a key adjustment challenge: trading the Stormers' free-form game for Bok structure, with Wiese's established role and Hanekom's emergence making this a genuine audition at No 8.
Old Maties teammates Van der Merwe and Steyn set for international collision at Loftus
Edwill van der Merwe and Scotland winger Kyle Steyn, former Maties teammates, meet as international opponents at Loftus on Saturday, with Boan Venter's Edinburgh knowledge and the aerial-contest transition game shaping Springbok preparations for the Nations Championship Test.
Vermeulen flags the Roos adjustment: from Stormers freedom to Bok structure
Vermeulen outlines the structural shift Roos must make from Stormers flair to Bok discipline against Scotland, while contextualising where Roos stands in a highly competitive loose forward group.
Papier ends eight-year Springbok absence with starting berth against Scotland
Embrose Papier starts at scrumhalf for the Springboks against Scotland on Saturday, winning his eighth cap eight years after his seventh, with Erasmus citing Papier's standout Bulls season and the absence or loss of form of rivals as the factors behind the recall.
Boks expect Scottish chaos, Vermeulen pulls no punches
Duane Vermeulen, embedded with the Springbok squad as Mobi-Unit coach, says the team knows exactly what Scotland will bring on Saturday and is not downplaying the challenge.
Oakley signs on as official eyewear partner of the Springboks and SA Rugby national teams
SA Rugby has signed Oakley as the official eyewear partner of the Springboks and all national teams, with both parties framing the deal as a convergence of performance and cultural identity.