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All Blacks hit by head injury double blow after Ellis Park win
Dave Rennie confirms Ethan de Groot and Josh Lord face extended lay-offs after a head clash at Ellis Park, with Anton Segner's ankle also keeping him in doubt as All Blacks injury concerns mount on tour.
Ardie's fired up for Ellis Park
Savea is talking big ahead of Saturday's Ellis Park clash, framing it as a warrior-versus-warrior contest. The piece explores his mindset going into the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry fixture.
Ardie's fired up for the Ellis Park showdown
Savea is relishing the return of the Boks-All Blacks rivalry at Ellis Park, with the full piece covering his pre-match mindset and what the fixture means to him.
Stephen Donald backs Moorby's X-factor to shine against the Boks at Ellis Park
Stephen Donald flags Josh Moorby as the All Blacks' quietly significant selection for Ellis Park — a player who barely registered at the start of the year but has forced his way in through a career-best Super Rugby campaign and, according to Donald, an X-factor that sets him apart from merely reliable footballers.
Stephen Donald backs Moorby's X-factor to shine against the Boks
Stephen Donald picks apart two surprise All Blacks selections for Ellis Park — Holland's comeback and, more intriguingly, Moorby's rise from journeyman to Test wing, which Donald puts down to an X-factor that simply can't be coached.
Stephen Donald backs Moorby's X-factor to justify surprise All Blacks selection against Boks
Donald flags Moorby and Holland as the two genuine surprises in Rennie's Ellis Park squad, arguing Moorby's X-factor — earned the hard way through a long domestic and overseas journey — has made him impossible to overlook for the Bok series opener.
Rennie backs fit-again Holland and explains key selection calls ahead of Ellis Park Test
Dave Rennie has made only one change from the XV that beat Ireland, recalling fit-again lock Fabian Holland, with Ardie Savea, Cam Roigard and Will Jordan all confirmed to start at Ellis Park despite having no tour minutes.
All Blacks squad winners and losers ahead of Springbok opener
Rennie's squad for the Springbok opener features Ruben Love's biggest career test at 10, Beauden Barrett dropped after 147 caps, Rieko Ioane out of the 23, and three significant injury absentees reshaping the bench.
Roigard, Jordan and McKenzie pass fit for All Blacks' Johannesburg Test
Cam Roigard, Will Jordan and Damian McKenzie shake off injury concerns to feature in the All Blacks' lineup for the first Springbok Test in Johannesburg.
Hansen: Mo'unga won't displace Love — and here's what the All Blacks must get right against the Boks
Hansen backs Love to hold the 10 jersey and breaks down the selection logic for Ellis Park — scrum size, lineout height, and aerial competence are the non-negotiables if the All Blacks want to compete with the Boks.
Fitzpatrick: All Blacks must get everything right — and catch a break
Fitzpatrick warns the All Blacks must be flawless in discipline and set-piece to win in South Africa, while also flagging the Springboks' attacking threat as underappreciated. He's cautiously confident in Rennie's setup ahead of a series he sees as the ideal World Cup preparation.
Love, hate and healthy rivalry: Lekker Rugby Pod's 200th episode dissects the All Blacks obsession
Ari and Ringo argue that the Springbok-All Black rivalry is defined by mutual refusal to accept inferiority — and that South Africa's love of the black jersey is inseparable from a deep, healthy hatred of everything it represents.
Ruben Love on the self-doubt behind his All Blacks rise
Ruben Love opens up on the self-doubt he had to overcome on his way to wearing the All Blacks No 10 ahead of the Ellis Park clash with the Boks.
McKenzie trending towards availability for Ellis Park Test as All Blacks await Ratima verdict
Damian McKenzie is trending towards availability for the Ellis Park Test after training fully on Tuesday, while Cortez Ratima's knee injury remains a concern and Noah Hotham has been called up as scrumhalf cover.
Fourie tops the tour rankings as Segner and Moorby force their way into All Blacks Test conversation
Deon Fourie tops Planet Rugby's tour player rankings after his Stormers display earned him a Springbok recall, while Anton Segner and Josh Moorby are identified as the All Blacks pressing hardest for Test inclusion ahead of the series.
Ioane's resurgence could trouble Springboks as All Blacks brace for Ellis Park intensity
Rieko Ioane has emerged as a potential midfield threat for the All Blacks ahead of Saturday's Rugby's Greatest Rivalry opener at Ellis Park, with coach Dave Rennie acknowledging his side must significantly raise their performance levels. The 29-year-old's versatility and improved form have seen him shift from wing cover to a centre option following injuries to Caleb Clarke and Billy Proctor. Rennie warned that the intensity against the Springboks will be several levels above the All Blacks' 50-19 warm-up victory over the Bulls.
Refreshed and lighter, Ioane is primed to cause the Boks problems in midfield
Ioane has rediscovered his best form on tour — lighter, faster and shifted to his preferred centre role by Rennie — making him a genuine midfield threat heading into the Test series against the Springboks.
McKenzie doubt clouds All Blacks' first-test XV as Mo'unga held back
Rennie flags real doubt over McKenzie for the Ellis Park test opener while confirming Mo'unga — despite arriving excited — won't be risked until the Lions midweek match. The All Blacks leave Loftus encouraged by scrum improvements but under no illusions about the step up the Boks will demand.
Coetzee reminds Rassie, Barrett finds his groove, and All Blacks scrum makes a statement
Carter's hat-trick cements his Test case, Barrett looks reborn at fullback, and the All Blacks scrum finally fires — but the standout Springbok subplot is Coetzee turning back the clock and planting a thought in Rassie's mind.
Mo'unga set for Rugby's Greatest Rivalry debut against Lions
Dave Rennie has confirmed Richie Mo'unga is in line for his first outing of the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour against the Lions on 25 August.