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1,133 items · Springboks
Erasmus admits Australia flashbacks at half-time as Boks' system absorbs Kolisi and Etzebeth withdrawals
Rassie Erasmus revealed that Australia flashbacks surfaced at half-time when England closed the gap to 17-14, before the Boks ran out 45-21 winners in their Nations Championship opener, with Kolisi and Etzebeth absences handled by a system Erasmus says is being deliberately stress-tested ahead of the World Cup.
Kolbe marks 50th cap with try and five conversions in England rout
Cheslin Kolbe celebrated his 50th Test appearance with a spectacular first-half try and five conversions as the Springboks defeated England 45-21 at Ellis Park on Saturday. The winger reflected on overcoming early doubts about his size and credited coaches and teammates for believing in him throughout his international career.
Kolbe reaches 50-cap milestone with try and five conversions in England demolition
Cheslin Kolbe scored a try and kicked five conversions on his 50th Test appearance as South Africa beat England 45-21 at Ellis Park, with the winger reflecting on a milestone he once considered beyond reach.
Van Graan flags Russell as a genuine Loftus threat
Van Graan has publicly flagged Finn Russell as a danger man for the Springboks at Loftus on Saturday, contingent on his fitness — the linked piece has the detail.
The Ruck: Springboks 'running the game on and off the pitch' as England obliterated at Ellis Park
The Ruck panel, reporting from Ellis Park, argued that England were overwhelmed in every department by a Springbok side missing six or seven key forwards — and that Rassie Erasmus's squad depth is now the most ominous thing in world rugby ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
Nche knee injury likely rules him out of Scotland test; Etzebeth, Kolisi, Esterhuizen all in doubt
Ox Nche is likely to miss the Scotland test at Loftus after injuring his knee against England, with Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth and André Esterhuizen also facing fitness assessments ahead of Saturday's Nations Championship match.
Nché knee injury 'does not look good' as Springboks manage four-player injury list ahead of Scotland
Ox Nché faces a potentially serious knee injury after lasting just eight minutes against England, with Rassie Erasmus admitting the outlook 'does not look good' ahead of Scotland's visit to Pretoria. Kolisi, Etzebeth and Esterhuizen are also carrying injury concerns from the 45-21 victory at Ellis Park.
Ellis Park flashbacks fuel Springbok comeback in 45-21 Nations Championship win over England
The Springboks beat England 45-21 in their Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park, overcoming the eve-of-match withdrawals of Kolisi and Etzebecht with a second-half surge inspired, in part, by memories of last year's collapse at the same venue.
45-21 flattered England, and Willemse was the best player on the park by a distance
A five-point breakdown of South Africa's 45-21 win over England — arguing the margin flattered the visitors, that England's discipline crisis is now the dominant story of the Borthwick era, and that Willemse's flawless 50th cap was the individual performance of the Nations Championship's opening weekend.
Happy accidents and depth on show — but Ox's knee clouds Bok horizon
Two late injury callups accidentally handed Erasmus the squad audition he'd been searching for — but Nche's knee could be a costly subplot heading into the Greatest Rivalry Series.
Springboks dismantle England 45-21 in Nations Championship statement at Ellis Park
South Africa delivered a commanding performance to open their Nations Championship campaign, overwhelming England 45-21 at Ellis Park despite trailing 17-14 at half-time. The world champions ran in seven tries on a memorable Highveld evening, with Damian Willemse earning player-of-the-match honours in his 50th Test. England's fifth consecutive defeat was compounded by late discipline issues that saw them reduced to 13 men.
Player ratings: England's 45-21 collapse dissected — midfield failure, forward overload, Borthwick in the dock
Planet Rugby's Ellis Park player ratings frame England's 45-21 loss as a structural failure as much as a performance one — conservative tactics, a broken midfield, and a bench that couldn't shift momentum are the recurring verdicts across the squad.
45-21 flattered England, Willemse was robbed of MotM, and the Bok machine didn't skip a beat without Kolisi and Etzebeth
South Africa's 45-21 win flattered England, whose discipline crisis compounded a quality gap — while Willemse was arguably robbed of MotM and the Bok system absorbed losing both Kolisi and Etzebeth without missing a beat.
Boks open Nations Championship with 45-21 demolition of England at Ellis Park
South Africa beat England 45-21 at Ellis Park to open their Nations Championship campaign, running in seven tries despite a shaky second quarter in which England reduced the deficit from 17-0 to 17-14. Damian Willemse was the standout, with debutant loosehead Paul de Villiers and Cameron Hanekom both impressing in the absence of Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth.
England's Ellis Park capitulation dissected: who stood up, who didn't
Raisey rates every England player from the 45-21 Nations Championship loss at Ellis Park, with Ben Earl and George Martin the standouts in a losing side undone by a horror start, aerial vulnerability, and chronic discipline issues.
Ratings: Who starred and who struggled as the Boks put 45 on England
Opperman's full ratings from the 45-21 win over England, with Willemse (9.5) and Libbok (9) the standouts, and Arendse's yellow card and du Toit's scrumming the main concerns in an otherwise dominant Bok display.
Boks make Nations Championship statement with 45-21 dismantling of England
Seven Bok tries in the Nations Championship opener — England fought back to 17-14 at half-time but were ultimately outclassed, finishing the game with 13 men as South Africa ran out 45-21 winners at Ellis Park.
Springboks demolish England 45-21 as Willemse and Kolbe mark half-centuries in style
South Africa delivered a commanding Nations Championship statement at Ellis Park, overwhelming England 45-21 despite trailing 17-0 early on. Damian Willemse and Cheslin Kolbe both celebrated 50th caps with outstanding performances, whilst the Bomb Squad proved decisive after the visitors' discipline collapsed. England's spirited first-half fightback ultimately counted for nothing as the world champions ran in seven tries.
Willemse and Marx lead the ratings as Bomb Squad finishes the job against England
Willemse and Marx are the standout performers in Planet Rugby's detailed player ratings from the 45-21 win over England, with the Bomb Squad's collective 8/10 reflecting the decisive late shift that sealed the result.
Springboks demolish England 45-21 in Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park
South Africa ran in seven tries to beat England 45-21 in Johannesburg, building a dominant 17-0 lead before withstanding an England fightback to dominate the Nations Championship opener.