Every story on the wire.
2,325 items · Springboks
Weather, not tactics: Erasmus explains the Cape Town front-row flip
Erasmus explains the Cape Town front-row switch was a weather call — he expected a wet pitch, arrived to find it dry, and reverted. Now, with the series tied 1-1, he's prioritising continuity over experimentation as the Boks target a series-winning position.
Barrett wants the All Blacks to come at the Boks with no fear
Barrett is publicly backing the All Blacks to take the game to the Boks on Saturday, framing it as a chance to test themselves against the best — the piece fleshes out his thinking ahead of the Johannesburg clash.
Erasmus locks in continuity for Ellis Park decider — here's why
Erasmus explains his decision to hold his Cape Town winning combination for Ellis Park, citing a cumulative minutes advantage over the All Blacks and the stakes of a 1-1 series — with Baltimore and the series win firmly in his sights.
Airlink defends low-level flyby ahead of second Springbok-All Blacks Test in Cape Town
Airlink's low-level twin-jet flyby before the second Springbok-All Blacks Test in Cape Town wowed a 56,000-strong crowd but sparked a safety debate, with the airline insisting the stunt met all regulatory requirements.
Erasmus Hits Back at Rennie Over Scrum Allegations After Cape Town Victory
Rassie Erasmus has accused All Blacks coach Dave Rennie of bypassing official channels by publicly criticising the Springboks' scrum technique following South Africa's 33-26 victory in Cape Town. Rennie claimed the Boks' loosehead props were 'walking around' at the set-piece, prompting a furious response from Erasmus, who insisted his counterpart cannot 'make opinion facts' and should have raised concerns through World Rugby's formal protocols.
Goosebumps at 12 metres: How Airlink's Cape Town flyover stacks up against 1995
De Koning ranks the Airlink Cape Town flyover as a genuine spectacle — but maintains 1995 remains untouchable, while addressing the international safety debate the stunt has ignited.
Why RGR3 could be the Boks' best performance of the series
Cardinelli argues the selection noise around RGR3 masks a well-timed selection call — the Boks' undercooked players have been sharpening across the series and may peak on Saturday, with a deliberate front-row finishing strategy to close out FNB Stadium and protect key men for Baltimore.
Mallett: Gardner 'abdicated responsibility' and gifted the All Blacks a free pass at scrum time
Mallett argues Gardner abdicated his scrumming duties in Cape Town, gifting the All Blacks an escape from multiple penalties and neutering a core Springbok weapon — with the third Test referee's approach now a critical storyline.
Kiwi front-rowers split on Erasmus scrum fury — but both sides have a point
Parsons can't square Erasmus's outrage with the fact the Boks were penalised just once for walking around, while Taʻavao counters that the real grievance is South Africa's scrum dominance going largely unrewarded. Parsons also offers a blunt front-rower admission: nobody adjusts scrum tactics mid-game if the referee isn't penalising them — which explains the reset fest in Cape Town.
Erasmus doubles down on Rennie scrum row — but this time with protocol, not profanity
Erasmus reframes the Rennie scrum spat as a protocol issue rather than a technical rugby dispute, argues the media-as-referee-pressure tactic is the real offence, and defends the last-minute front-row switch as a legitimate weather-based call within the laws.
Kolbe shifts to fullback as Erasmus rings four changes for third All Blacks Test at FNB Stadium
Erasmus makes four changes for the third Greatest Rivalry Test at FNB Stadium, with Kolbe shifting to fullback and Arendse starting on the wing after Willemse's injury, while the original front-row of Nche, Louw and Marx is restored.
Record loose trio, Kolbe at 15, and the Grobbelaar curse: Soweto squad winners and losers
Planet Rugby's winners-and-losers breakdown of the Soweto squad covers the record-breaking loose trio, Kolbe's full-back shift, Willemse's injury impact, and recurring frustrations for Grobbelaar and De Villiers.
Erasmus bent the rules in Cape Town — and it worked
Alex Lowe argued that Erasmus breached the 48-hour selection deadline with Cheslin Kolbe's late inclusion, while the front-row switch was technically legal but against the spirit of the regulations — and that the Cape Town win was built on a deliberate Erasmus directive to kick every penalty on offer.
Springbok snarl is back — but Rassie's F-bomb moment draws a rebuke
Planet Rugby credits the Boks for a deserved Cape Town win driven by veteran physicality and a revived snarl — but Rassie's F-bomb press conference moment earns a rebuke, with the column calling for SA Rugby to intervene on decorum.
Kolbe's boot levels Greatest Rivalry series as Boks avoid 'Blou Maandag'
Cheslin Kolbe's 18-point haul proved decisive as South Africa levelled the Greatest Rivalry series 1-1 with a 33-26 victory over New Zealand in Cape Town. The winger landed three conversions and four penalties to overturn the disappointment of the previous week's 16-33 defeat at Ellis Park.
Kolbe's boot steadies Boks as series heads to Joburg locked at 1-1
Kolbe's 18-point kicking display levelled the series in Cape Town, and he reflects on the camp's post-Ellis Park mood, his goal-kicking development, and what a fired-up All Blacks side will bring in the third Test.
Erasmus accuses Rennie of bypassing official channels in scrum row
Erasmus hits back at Rennie, accusing the All Blacks coach of airing scrum grievances in public instead of using official channels.
Rassie accuses Rennie of going public instead of through official channels
Rassie Erasmus has accused Dave Rennie of going public with his grievances about the Springboks' scrum technique instead of using official channels.
Erasmus reverts to original front row and moves Kolbe to full-back for third All Blacks Test at FNB Stadium
Erasmus reverts to his original front row of Nche, Louw and Marx for the third Greatest Rivalry Test at FNB Stadium, with Kolbe moving to full-back to cover the injured Willemse and Arendse coming onto the wing. The series is locked at 1-1, with the winner going two Tests clear ahead of the USA finale.
Erasmus backs continuity as Kolbe shifts to fullback for FNB decider
Rassie Erasmus has named a largely unchanged side for Saturday's third Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Test against New Zealand at the FNB Stadium, making only four personnel changes and one positional switch. Cheslin Kolbe moves to fullback in place of the injured Damian Willemse, with Kurt-Lee Arendse drafted onto the wing. The front row of Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw returns to the starting XV as the Springboks look to secure bragging rights on home soil.