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SA Super Rugby return not on table, but NZ relationship 'really tight' — Lancaster
NZ Rugby CEO Steve Lancaster says a South African return to Super Rugby is not being discussed, with SA Rugby committed to the URC and bullish about their current competition structure, while the bilateral relationship between the two unions is described as 'really tight' following the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.
Kirwan: Boks showed the All Blacks exactly who they need to be
Kirwan uses the Bok series as a blueprint for what the All Blacks must replicate — their intensity, physicality and desperation — now that South Africa isn't on the other side to force it out of them.
Barrett: Boks leaned into their DNA — and the All Blacks know it's not a quick fix
Barrett pinpoints the Boks' scrum and maul as the series-deciding factors, dismisses referee complaints as a slippery slope, and warns the gaps exposed aren't overnight fixes — while Ryan suggests losing the captaincy could unlock Barrett's best rugby.
Graham Henry blames Super Rugby for All Blacks' Bok problem
Henry argues the All Blacks' recurring problems against the Boks in the scrum and high ball are partly structural — without South African franchises in Super Rugby, New Zealand players have no competition-level exposure to that style until they're standing in a Test.
All Blacks forward coach takes scrum lessons from Boks — but won't be 'walking around'
Jason Ryan's honest debrief on the RGR series loss credits the Boks' set-piece as world-best, flags seven costly scrum penalties, and points to Barrett's return as key to an All Blacks response in the Bledisloe Cup — while wryly dismissing the 'walking around' controversy.
All Blacks forward coach won't sugarcoat the Springbok series — and wants a physical statement against Australia
Jason Ryan has acknowledged the All Blacks were outmuscled by the Springboks across the series and is demanding a forward-led statement performance in the Bledisloe opener, with urgency at the breakdown and in the carry identified as the critical battleground against Australia's jackalling threats.
Savea ruled out until Super Rugby return as Rennie backs Barrett to remain relevant
Ardie Savea faces surgery and a potentially delayed Super Rugby return after his shoulder dislocation in Soweto, while Rennie has backed Beauden Barrett to continue contributing — primarily at fullback — despite falling behind Mo'unga and the injured Ruben Love in the first-five pecking order.
Rennie doubles down on All Blacks' high-ball approach despite Bok beatings
Rennie defends the All Blacks' retreat-and-link aerial tactic despite the Springboks dismantling it, arguing the system works against deeper kickers and that New Zealand are close to making their new high-tempo style stick.
All Blacks lose Ruben Love to ankle surgery for remainder of international season
Ruben Love requires ankle surgery and is ruled out for the rest of the 2025 international season after sustaining the injury in South Africa, ending a breakout year in which he had established himself as the All Blacks' first-choice fly-half.
Ioane: Wallabies' win over the Boks was bigger than rugby
Ioane frames the Wallabies' 42-38 win over the Boks as a cultural moment for Australian rugby — a result that landed on the same weekend as the NRL semis and AFL grand final and, in his view, proved rugby is still rising against fierce domestic competition ahead of a home World Cup.
Hansen backs Hooper's Piardi call — but is he right?
Hansen defends Hooper's call to keep Piardi away from Wallabies fixtures, framing it as subconscious-bias management rather than ref-bashing — a distinction the piece scrutinises closely and one with direct relevance given the Boks were involved in that controversial Perth loss.
Eight venues confirmed for 2027 Rugby World Cup as one-year countdown begins
Australia's 2027 Rugby World Cup spans eight stadiums from 1 October to 13 November, with the Springboks opening their title defence against Italy at Adelaide Oval. Stadium Australia hosts the final, becoming only the fourth venue to stage the men's decider twice.
SA Rugby's data-driven push to find the next generation of Boks
SA Rugby's Ian Schwartz outlines how data is being used to drive talent identification and transformation at the grassroots level — a window into the pipeline that feeds the Bok system.
Rennie: Boks are beatable — but the All Blacks aren't there yet
Rennie's post-Rugby's Greatest Rivalry debrief is honest: the All Blacks weren't clinical enough when it counted, the Ellis Park blowout flattered them, and he knows the Boks' experience and clarity of identity are what make them so hard to beat. He's not changing the system — he's backing execution to improve.
Rennie backs All Blacks quality despite Springbok series loss
Rennie insists the All Blacks are better than their 3-1 series record against the Boks suggests, and frames the remaining six Tests — starting with the Bledisloe — as the opportunity to prove it.
Kiss frustrated but measured as Paisami ban stands for Bledisloe Tests
Les Kiss says Paisami's four-match ban for the dangerous tackle on Feinberg-Mngomezulu "could have been a little bit less" but the inside centre misses both Bledisloe Cup Tests, with Jock Campbell called up and Len Ikitau facing a fitness test on Friday.
O'Mahony rates Farrell above Erasmus — but his Rassie insight is what Bok fans need to hear
O'Mahony picks Farrell as his all-time coach, but his inside account of how Erasmus actually operates — tactician, motivator, pressure-absorber, and shrewd assembler of specialist staff — offers genuine texture on the Bok boss that goes beyond the headlines.
Hooper's Piardi plea is referee-bashing with a welfare bow on top
Planet Rugby argues Hooper's 'duty of care' plea is referee-bias finger-pointing in disguise — and that the Wallabies' indiscipline, not Piardi, is the real problem.
Johnson: Never Write Off the Wallabies at Their Own World Cup
Johnson draws on 2003 experience to argue the Wallabies — unbeaten under Kiss and fresh off beating the world champions with 11 men — should not be dismissed as genuine 2027 contenders, warning that Australian home conditions and tactical cleverness make them dangerous regardless of current rankings.
Hansen pinpoints exactly where the Boks broke the All Blacks — and why it worries him
Hansen itemises the four areas — breakdown work, scrum dominance on SA ball, high ball, and maul defence — where the Springboks exposed the All Blacks across the series, while arguing the gaps are fixable rather than structural.