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SA Rugby pushes back on 'erroneous' ticket sales reports ahead of Springboks v England
SA Rugby has formally rejected reports that only 21,000 tickets were sold for Saturday's Springboks v England Nations Championship Test at Ellis Park, calling the claims 'erroneous and misinformed' while reaffirming its target of reaching 91% capacity. The match also sees Rassie Erasmus equal Jake White's record of 54 Tests as Springbok head coach.
Why Ellis Park Is a Fortress England Cannot Storm
A detailed breakdown of where Saturday's Ellis Park test will be won and lost — the scrum, the aerial battle, Libbok under pressure, and England's narrow lineout opportunity — concluding in a 42-17 Bok prediction.
Libbok's Ellis Park redemption arc — and why Erasmus is backing him anyway
Libbok gets his Ellis Park shot at redemption with Erasmus backing his attacking instincts to suit England's likely game plan — but the kicking question and a dominant Bok scrum setup are the real analytical threads in this preview.
Libbok handed Ellis Park redemption chance as Springboks face England
Manie Libbok will start at fly-half for the Springboks against England at Ellis Park on Saturday, returning to the venue where he endured a torrid afternoon in last year's collapse against Australia. With Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu injured and Handre Pollard off form, Rassie Erasmus has backed the creative playmaker to exploit an England side still searching for identity after their worst-ever Six Nations campaign. The contrast between the two sides is stark: South Africa arrive on an eight-match winning streak, while England have suffered four consecutive defeats earlier this year.
Libbok's Ellis Park redemption run — and why the scrum battle could settle it
Libbok gets his Ellis Park redemption shot against a four-test-losing England, but his kicking remains the risk factor — while Nche's scrum dominance could be the match-settler before the backs even matter.
Libbok's record speaks for itself — it's time SA rugby stopped using 2023 as a whip
Keohane argues Libbok's South African critics hold a handful of bad days against a player whose Test record — 24 wins from 29 caps, victories in every major rugby nation — is quietly exceptional, and that a season in Japan sharpening his game management has made him a better No 10 than he's given credit for.
Porthen reveals intensity of Bok scrum sessions ahead of England Test
Stormers tighthead Zach Porthen, set for his fourth Test cap against England at Ellis Park on Saturday, says Springbok scrum sessions are deliberately more intense than match conditions, with coach Daan Human pushing props into mental and physical extremes to ensure they are never shocked by game-day demands.
England's bench strategy and Pollock factor: The Ruck's blueprint for stunning the Boks at Ellis Park
The Ruck's panel assess England's 5% chance of beating the Boks at Ellis Park, focusing on scrum exposure, bench sequencing, and whether the post-Six Nations attacking shift under Lee Blackett is real — with Henry Pollock's status as South African public enemy number one adding an unmissable subplot.
Pollock starts on the bench — but the real story is why Ellis Park wants him on the field
Borthwick has Pollock on the bench, but local appetite to see him collide with the Boks' heavyweights is real — the piece explores why that call may have cost England the full Ellis Park atmosphere.
Borthwick opts for Pollock impact role against Springboks at Ellis Park
Steve Borthwick has named Henry Pollock on the bench for England's Nations Championship clash against the Springboks at Ellis Park on Saturday, with Jamie George captaining a side that carries a six-two forward-to-back bench split.
England's Ellis Park selection: who gains and who loses ground ahead of the Springboks test
Planet Rugby's selection breakdown for England v South Africa at Ellis Park identifies Murley's long-overdue Test start, Furbank's recall over Steward, and Curry's return as the standout winners — while Ford, Spencer, Steward, and the perpetually overlooked Ted Hill bear the brunt of Borthwick's calls.
Atkinson vs the Bok midfield: Fitness freak meets rugby reality
Seb Atkinson — England's record-breaking Bronco king — arrives at Ellis Park this weekend itching to test himself against the Bok midfield. The piece weighs his exceptional fitness and defensive numbers against Kriel's blunt reminder that conditioning tests don't win Test matches.
SARU slash ticket prices for Nations Championship opener after 30,000 seats go unsold
SARU has cut ticket prices for the Nations Championship opener against England at Ellis Park on Saturday after more than 30,000 seats remained unsold by Thursday, with standard tickets now starting at R650.
England hand Martin Itoje's lock berth as Pollock benched for Ellis Park opener
Steve Borthwick has named George Martin to fill the void left by absent captain Maro Itoje as England prepare to face South Africa in the inaugural Nations Championship on Saturday. The head coach has made five changes to the side that lost to France in March, recalling George Furbank, Manny Feyi-Waboso and Tom Curry. Northampton's Henry Pollock, despite calls for a starting role, has been relegated to the bench as Borthwick opts for experience in the back row.
Curry starts at 7 as Pollock named on England bench for Ellis Park Test
Tom Curry starts at openside and Henry Pollock is named among the replacements as England, captained by Jamie George, prepare to face the Springboks at Ellis Park on Saturday in their Nations Championship opener.
Borthwick reshuffles for Ellis Park as Martin gets Itoje's number six shirt
Steve Borthwick makes five changes for England's Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park, with George Martin deputising for Maro Itoje and Henry Pollock named among the replacements despite calls for him to start.
Erasmus warns against complacency as Springboks prepare for England at Ellis Park
Rassie Erasmus has cautioned his Springbok side against underestimating England ahead of Saturday's Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park. Despite the world champions winning their past three encounters against England, Erasmus stressed that history shows the visitors can never be written off.
Rassie sounds the alarm: don't underestimate this England side
Erasmus is flagging genuine respect for England ahead of Saturday's Nations Championship opener, leaning on historical reminders — from Twickenham in 2002 to last year's Australia upset — to keep complacency out of the camp. Kriel and Nche add substance, identifying England's midfield quality and a technically dangerous front row as specific threats.
Coles leans on Kolisi advice ahead of Bok test
Coles faces a massive step-up deputising for Itoje against the Boks, and a prior conversation with Kolisi is central to his mindset heading into Saturday.
England's identity crisis a gift to the Springboks at Ellis Park
England's tactical indecision — stuck between expansive rugby and forward-grind — is precisely the vulnerability the Springboks are built to exploit. The piece argues that without a committed, flawlessly executed plan, England's Ellis Park visit ends predictably.