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Erasmus demands defensive improvement despite Springboks levelling Greatest Rivalry series
Rassie Erasmus has called for significant defensive improvements ahead of Saturday's third Test against New Zealand at FNB Stadium, despite South Africa's 33-26 victory in Cape Town levelling the four-match series at 1-1. The Springboks head coach acknowledged the All Blacks' attacking threat, with New Zealand outscoring his side four tries to three in a contest that remained in the balance until the final whistle.
Momentum shifts back to the Boks, but the series is far from settled
Cardinelli argues that Cape Town restored Bok momentum without settling the series — unpacking the tactical shifts, the key individual moments, and why Rennie's All Blacks remain a genuine threat over the final two Tests.
Rennie targets line-out and breakdown speed ahead of FNB Stadium decider
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has identified set-piece struggles and ball speed as key areas for improvement following Saturday's 33-26 defeat to the Springboks in Cape Town. With the series level at 1-1, New Zealand face a crucial third Test at FNB Stadium this weekend.
Rennie's Test 3 blueprint: ball speed, aerial battle, and clinical finishing
Rennie identifies ball speed, aerial contest, and clinical finishing as the three areas separating the All Blacks from a series lead — and explains why he was completely unfazed by Erasmus's late front-row switch.
Erasmus fires back at Rennie's scrum-walking claims
Erasmus has pushed back hard on Rennie's post-match scrum complaints, calling them a media-pressure tactic rather than a legitimate concern — and pointing to New Zealand's own set-piece issues as evidence the criticism is selective.
Kolbe's left hook escapes citing — but fans aren't letting it go
Kolbe landed what looks like a clear left hook on Leroy Carter during the Boks' series-levelling win in Cape Town — no citing has followed yet, but fan pressure is mounting and the incident is worth monitoring with two matches still to play.
Erasmus flags edge defence as the priority heading into Johannesburg
Erasmus praised the All Blacks as a significantly improved side and pinpointed edge defence as the key area needing work before the Johannesburg Test, warning against complacency despite the Cape Town win.
Springboks level Greatest Rivalry series with 33-26 victory over All Blacks in Cape Town
South Africa defeated New Zealand 33-26 at DHL Stadium on Saturday to draw the Castle Double Malt Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Series at one apiece. Siya Kolisi marked his return from injury with a first-half try, while Pieter-Steph du Toit celebrated his 100th cap with victory. Ox Nche earned his 50th Test cap in the win as the Springboks prepare for next weekend's encounter at FNB Stadium in Soweto.
Nche reaches 50-cap milestone as Boks eye sold-out Soweto decider
Ox Nche marked his 50th Test cap in the Boks' 33-26 win over the All Blacks in Cape Town and is anticipating a massive occasion at FNB Stadium in Soweto on 5 September, while warning that a wounded All Blacks side will come back harder.
Rennie's third-Test fixes: lineout, slow starts, and cracking the Bok kicking game
Rennie pinpoints lineout losses to Etzebeth's disruption, slow starts inside their own 22, and ball-speed as the key fixes before Johannesburg — while defending the kicking strategy that opened space for New Zealand's four tries in Cape Town.
Du Toit makes history with century win over All Blacks
Pieter-Steph du Toit became the 11th Springbok centurion and the first to beat the All Blacks in his 100th Test, as South Africa levelled the Greatest Rivalry series with a win at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
Bok win came despite Erasmus chaos — and the forwards stole the show
The Boks won, but Planet Rugby argues the selection chaos was real — and their winners/losers breakdown rates the Etzebeth-Holland lock duel as the match highlight while flagging Erasmus's fortnight of dysfunction and a growing Ruben Love problem for the All Blacks.
Airlink jets cleared Cape Town Stadium by as little as 12.5 metres during Springbok-All Blacks Test
Flight-tracking data reveals the Airlink jets that flew over Cape Town Stadium before the Springbok-All Blacks Test cleared the roof by as little as 12.5 metres.
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.
Erasmus hits back at Rennie's scrum complaints after Springboks seal Cape Town victory
Rassie Erasmus has dismissed All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie's claims that the Springboks employed illegal scrum tactics during their 33-26 victory in Cape Town. The Springbok boss defended his pack's technique and accused Rennie of resorting to media pressure, while the New Zealand coach maintained his concerns after raising issues with World Rugby ahead of the second Rugby Championship Test.
Kolisi leads Springboks' ferocious response to level series against All Blacks
The Springboks rediscovered their power game in Cape Town, battering the All Blacks 33-26 to level the series at 1-1. Captain Siya Kolisi scored a crucial first-half try and delivered a thunderous hit on opposite number Ardie Savea as South Africa responded emphatically to their Ellis Park humiliation. Cheslin Kolbe's flawless boot contributed 18 points, but a late All Blacks surge ensured the decider in Johannesburg remains wide open.
Springboks reclaim top spot as All Blacks' reign lasts just one week
The Springboks returned to number one in the World Rugby rankings after beating New Zealand 33-26 in Cape Town, with the All Blacks' time at the top lasting just one week — mirroring events from the same fixture 12 months ago.