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2,956 items · Springboks
De Allende names Jordie Barrett as toughest opponent of his career ahead of Baltimore decider
De Allende names Jordie Barrett as the toughest opponent of his career ahead of the series-deciding fourth Test against the All Blacks in Baltimore.
All Blacks demand breakdown consistency ahead of Baltimore decider
New Zealand have called for refereeing consistency at the breakdown as they prepare for Saturday's final Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Test in Baltimore. Attack coach Mike Blair believes illegal play should be penalised rather than coached, whilst lock Sam Darry acknowledged his side must improve their maul defence and discipline after falling 2-1 behind in the series.
John Smit declares Malcolm Marx the greatest Springbok hooker of all time
Former World Cup-winning captain John Smit has named Malcolm Marx the finest hooker ever to wear the Springbok jersey, praising the 32-year-old's complete skill set and leadership qualities. Marx delivered another commanding performance in South Africa's 29-24 victory over New Zealand in Johannesburg, earning player-of-the-match honours with faultless line-out throwing, a crucial breakdown penalty and a late driving-maul try. Smit highlighted Marx's combination of physical prowess, technical excellence and character as setting him apart from every South African hooker who came before.
Davids warns All Blacks: Bok pack still not the finished article
South Africa's forwards coach Deon Davids has issued a stark warning ahead of Saturday's Rugby's Greatest Rivalry decider in Baltimore, insisting the Springbok pack can improve further despite their set-piece dominance over New Zealand. The Boks won four scrum penalties and achieved a 93.9 per cent lineout success rate in the third Test at Soccer City, forcing the All Blacks to throw short. Malcolm Marx's maul try and a penalty try from scrum pressure underlined South Africa's forward supremacy, yet Davids maintains the unit is far from its ceiling.
Etzebeth chases series win as record 146th cap beckons in Baltimore
Eben Etzebeth is set to earn a record 146th Test cap when the Springboks face the All Blacks in Baltimore on Saturday, with the series on the line — a Springbok win seals Rugby's Greatest Rivalry trophy, while defeat results in a draw.
Etzebeth on the Boks' mental reset after Ellis Park
Etzebeth explains how institutional memory — the Lions series comeback, World Cup pool-stage losses — gave the squad the mental framework to regroup after Ellis Park and push to a 2-1 series lead heading into Baltimore.
John Smit: Malcolm Marx is the greatest Springbok hooker of all time
John Smit names Malcolm Marx the greatest Springbok hooker ever, arguing his complete skillset and character make him irreplaceable — both on the field and in the dressing room.
Bok Scrum as Identity: Gráinne Seoige and the Lekker Rugby Pod Unpack What the Bok-All Black Series Really Meant
Gráinne Seoige and MV argue that New Zealand's public criticism of the Bok scrum was an integrity slight that Daan Human could only answer on the pitch — and that he did, emphatically, across the final two tests.
Davids warns the Bok pack hasn't peaked yet — and that should worry the All Blacks
Deon Davids says the dominant Springbok pack is still not the finished article — which, given the set-piece numbers already stacked against the All Blacks across this series, is a sobering thought heading into Baltimore.
Shimmy: SA's reserve front row is the only scrum that can challenge the Boks' first choice
Shimange argues no pack in world rugby can match the Bok scrum — with the only competition coming from SA's own reserve front row. Burger adds that refereeing philosophy is as important as scrummaging quality, pointing to how differently the second and third Tests were officiated.
Blair wants penalties, not coaching, at the breakdown in Baltimore decider
Mike Blair is calling for referees to penalise breakdown infringements rather than verbally shepherd players, arguing the current approach is costing the All Blacks clean ball — with the series decider in Baltimore on Saturday the backdrop.
All Blacks front-rower: Ox Nche is a 'freak' who dominates through mindset, not just power
Tamaiti Williams breaks down what makes Ox Nche the world's most feared loosehead — positional mastery, physical dominance, and a scrum-hunting mentality that Williams says is as much psychological as technical.
Hanekom: Baltimore decider demands total buy-in from every Bok
Hanekom calls for complete collective buy-in to seal the Baltimore decider, while acknowledging his own Soweto errors and the relentless competition for his loose forward berth.
Smit: All Blacks showed 'defeatist attitude' at set-piece but were too smart to give Boks enough scrums
Smit argues New Zealand's set-piece avoidance in the Rugby Championship series reflects a 'defeatist attitude', but credits their ball-handling for limiting the Boks to just five scrums — all five of which went South Africa's way, including the penalty try Smit says he predicted.
Blair warns Boks could open up in Baltimore finale
Mike Blair flags a potential Springbok tactical shift in Baltimore and is candid about where the All Blacks are leaving points on the field — worth reading for his inside view on the series decider.
Davids: Bok set-piece dominance in Soweto is just the beginning
Deon Davids says the Bok set-piece that tormented the All Blacks in Soweto — four scrum penalties, a neutered lineout, a maul try — isn't the finished product. His pre-Baltimore message: there's more to come.
Wounded All Blacks carry Baltimore's real pressure — not the Boks
Rich unpacks why Baltimore's pressure sits squarely on the All Blacks, not the Boks — the series is done, New Zealand's expectations remain bruisingly high, and Wiese has already flagged the desperate response coming. Erasmus has gone full strength accordingly.
All Blacks banking on second-half fixes and 'next man up' depth for Baltimore decider
Sam Darry breaks down where the All Blacks lost the Soweto Test — discipline, second-half errors, and aerial-versus-ground balance — and addresses how they plan to cope without Savea in a must-win Baltimore finale.
Mallett calls World Cup draw 'scandalous' as Boks and All Blacks face quarter-final clash
Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett has criticised the 2025 Rugby World Cup draw that could see South Africa and New Zealand meet in the quarter-finals. The two top-ranked sides are on course to collide in the last eight following the Springboks' 2-1 series lead in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry.
Mallett calls World Cup draw a travesty
Mallett is fuming about a draw that could see the Boks and All Blacks collide in the quarters — the piece details his case for why the seeding and bracketing system has produced an unjust outcome.