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Rassie turns the psychological tables on the All Blacks
Erasmus acknowledges All Blacks improvement but argues the psychological pressure has now flipped — the full piece unpacks his post-match mindset.
Ox fires back at Rennie's scrum complaints
Nché offers a blunt response to Rennie's complaints about Springbok scrum walkabouts and referee interpretations at the set-piece.
The pacing gene, standing crisps, and what the split trophy gets right
A fan-perspective column on the Cape Town Test that doubles as a quiet argument for why this rivalry is genuinely irreducible — Kolbe's kicking, the immovable Bok pack, and 112 Tests that still haven't settled anything.
Rassie fires back at Rennie's scrum accusations: 'Don't come with that nonsense'
Erasmus went after Rennie hard after Cape Town, rejecting the 'walking around' scrum accusation as a media pressure tactic and pointing to unpunished head contacts and collapsed All Blacks scrums as evidence the complaints only flow one way. The piece captures a coach who is both genuinely irritated and deliberately counter-punching heading into a decider.
Standing, pacing, and why the Greatest Rivalry trophy that breaks in two makes perfect sense
A fan's 3am perspective on the Cape Town Test, with a sharp breakdown of how Kolbe's boot decided the match despite the All Blacks scoring four tries — and why the series trophy designed to break in two is the most honest piece of rugby hardware ever made.
Kolbe and du Toit shine as Erasmus's selection gambles vindicated in Cape Town
Kolbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Etzebeth top the ratings as Planet Rugby's match review argues Erasmus's controversial pre-game selection changes — particularly in the front row — were vindicated by the result and the bench's collective impact.
Stransky's Hall of Fame induction brings 1995's defining moment back to life
Stransky's World Rugby Hall of Fame induction prompts a reflective column on the full scope of his Springbok career — beyond the drop goal — and the broader class of icons whose contributions the ceremony brought back into focus.
Rennie flags scrum concerns ahead of decider — but admits Boks deserved the win
Rennie has flagged the Boks' scrummaging tactics — and specifically the walking-around technique targeting the All Blacks' tighthead — as an ongoing concern after the Cape Town loss, with World Rugby already looped in. Beyond the set-piece, he acknowledged South Africa's dominance at the breakdown and in the air as the decisive factors heading into the FNB decider.
Erasmus fires back at Rennie: 'Don't come with that nonsense'
Erasmus has gone on the offensive after Rennie raised scrum-legality concerns with World Rugby, dismissing it as a pressure tactic and warning that South Africa will push back hard on any attempt to shape referee thinking through the media ahead of the decisive Tests.
Rassie praises All Blacks but fires back at Rennie's referee-influencing campaign
Rassie heaps praise on Rennie's rebuilt All Blacks but goes after the opposition coach's referee-lobbying campaign, which Rich argues had a measurable effect on how the scrums were officiated in Cape Town. With the series level at 1-1, the piece dissects the officiating controversies, the front-row selection saga, and sets up a compelling decider at Soccer City.
Rassie fires back at All Blacks' scrum accusations
Erasmus publicly rejected All Blacks accusations of negative Springbok scrum tactics in a fiery post-match address — the piece covers his unfiltered response.
All Blacks ratings: Holland shines, Love struggles as Boks level the series
Planet Rugby's All Blacks player ratings from the 33-26 Cape Town defeat highlight Fabian Holland and Savea as the tourists' best, while Ruben Love's intercept pass and a set-piece under the cosh are flagged as key fault lines in a performance that ultimately fell short.
Kolbe and the bench carry the day as Bok selections vindicated
Kolbe starred with boot and ball, du Toit and Etzebeth dominated the collisions, and a strong bench sealed the win — but Kriel's defensive lapses were costly. Planet Rugby rates the Bok individuals from the Cape Town victory.
Five takeaways: How Rassie's selection gamble and Bok power game levelled the series in Cape Town
A detailed five-point breakdown of the Cape Town win, covering Erasmus's selection vindication, the tactical reset in attack, the scrum's decisive role, and Pieter-Steph du Toit's landmark 100th cap — all with an eye on what it means heading into the Soweto decider.
All Blacks ratings: Holland the standout, Love struggles, but Boks hold on in Cape Town
Planet Rugby's player ratings from the 33-26 defeat in Cape Town highlight Holland and Savea as the tourists' best, while Love endured his toughest Test outing yet and the Bok forward pack dominated key phases.
Cape Town Test ratings: De Allende leads the way as Boks level the series
Sawula's player-by-player ratings from the Cape Town Test pick out De Allende as the unlucky man of the match, flag Steenekamp's scrum struggles and Hooker's costly error, and make the case that Marx's cameo was pivotal — all relevant context heading into the series decider in Soweto.
Cape Town corrections: How Erasmus's tinkering turned the series around
The piece argues that Erasmus's five pre-match changes — and their precise deployment — were the decisive factor in Cape Town, correcting the tactical and structural errors that cost the Boks in Johannesburg and pointing to clear All Black vulnerabilities ahead of the Soweto decider.
Boks level the series with trademark ferocity — but All Blacks aren't done
South Africa levelled the Rugby Championship series 1-1 with a 33-26 win over New Zealand, recovering from last week's performance with a more typical display of power and forward dominance. The All Blacks' late rally means confidence is far from one-sided ahead of the decider in Johannesburg.
Friends at church, enemies on the field: Kolisi and Savea on their rivalry
Kolisi and Savea's church outing two weeks ago was no PR stunt — the two captains have built a real friendship around faith and family, not rugby. The piece unpacks how that relationship coexists with genuine on-field intensity, with both men framing the Cape Town Test as a chance to honour that respect by competing at their absolute best.
Dan Carter backs Feinberg-Mngomezulu to handle the heat in Cape Town
Dan Carter has publicly backed Feinberg-Mngomezulu to step up in the second Test at Cape Town Stadium — the piece unpacks his reasoning.