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Storm in a teacup: Hansen and McKenzie weigh in on the Bok scrum row
Hansen and McKenzie both pour cold water on Rennie's walking-around claims — neither buys it as a serious accusation, with McKenzie calling it a storm in a teacup and questioning whether Erasmus's front-row switch actually achieved anything tactically.
Springboks eye 2-1 home advantage as scrum debate overshadows Soweto decider
South Africa and New Zealand meet at FNB Stadium on Saturday with the series locked at 1-1 and both sides acutely aware that defeat ends any hope of claiming the four-match contest. Assistant coach Mzandile Stick has emphasised the importance of securing a 2-1 advantage on home soil, while the week has been dominated by set-piece scrutiny following complaints from both camps. Pieter-Steph du Toit returns to the only change in Rassie Erasmus's squad after injury ruled him out in Cape Town.
Stick flags 2-1 home series stakes as Boks prepare for Soweto showdown
Mzandile Stick has laid out the dual stakes of Saturday's Soweto Test — denying the All Blacks a 2-1 home-series claim and gaining a decisive advantage before the series finale in Baltimore — as Kolisi's loose forward trio prepares to set a new Springbok combination record.
Kolisi frames the Soweto Test as more than a rugby match
Kolisi frames the Soweto Test as a debt to the community, not just a rugby fixture — the piece unpacks what that means to him ahead of kick-off.
Springbok Women target record ranking with historic Black Ferns clash at FNB Stadium
The Springbok Women face the Black Ferns at FNB Stadium on Saturday in a historic first home meeting, with a win lifting South Africa to a record-high seventh in the world rankings. Captain Babalwa Latsha is targeting set-piece dominance after the lessons of last year's World Cup quarter-final defeat in Exeter.
Springbok Women target historic World Rugby ranking leap against Black Ferns
South Africa could climb to seventh in the World Rugby rankings — their highest position on record — if they defeat New Zealand at FNB Stadium on Saturday. The Springbok Women, currently 10th, face the second-ranked Black Ferns in Johannesburg, with captain Babalwa Latsha emphasising a direct, physical approach built around a strong set piece. A victory by more than 15 points would lift them to sixth, whilst defeat for New Zealand would see them drop to third.
Springbok Women target record ranking high against Black Ferns at FNB Stadium
The Springbok Women face the Black Ferns in a historic first Test on South African soil at FNB Stadium on Saturday, with a win potentially lifting them to a record-high world ranking of seventh. Captain Babalwa Latsha and vice-captain Libbie Janse van Rensburg say the team have addressed the second-half collapse that cost them in last year's World Cup quarter-final and are targeting a full 80-minute performance.
All Blacks to edge Boks at altitude — but Erasmus's bench makes it a three-pointer
New Zealand by three on a fast Soweto track — but the case rests on 22-entry efficiency, a lineout mismatch, and whether the Erasmus bench can close from in front once Sititi arrives.
Hansen and McKenzie: Erasmus's selection stunts are a 'debacle' with no tactical payoff
Hansen calls the pre-match front-row switch a 'debacle' with no strategic value; McKenzie argues it was either pre-planned deception or a tour-agreement loophole exploit — and that South Africa gained nothing tactically either way.
Bok Women face Black Ferns in historic FNB test — without their coach
South Africa's historic home debut against the Black Ferns comes at an awkward moment — Swys de Bruin resigned mid-week, leaving assistants to take charge. Rugby365 breaks down the teams, the key matchups, and tips New Zealand by 12.
Kolbe nearly walked away from rugby — the full story of how he became a Bok legend
Gavin Rich traces Kolbe's career from near-abandonment of rugby at 19 through the Dobson intervention, the France gamble, the accidental Bok call-up, and the Wellington try — candid detail that reframes what looks like an inevitable rise.
Stick to the main road: Why Bok power game is still their best weapon in the decider
Rich argues the Boks should be 2-0 up and that their power game remains the decisive weapon — but only if the scrum is properly rewarded. The referee question looms as large as the tactical matchup.
Mexted: Whitelock and Retallick were taken for granted — and the All Blacks are still paying for it
Mexted argues the All Blacks undervalued Retallick and Whitelock for years and are still feeling the void, while breaking down Rennie's selection risk for the Soweto Test — particularly the lineout implications of dropping Holland that could prove decisive against the Boks.
Bower wants to scrum — and says the All Blacks are coming for the Boks up front
Bower dismisses the idea that the All Blacks are scrummaging to avoid contact, arguing they've absorbed lessons from Tests one and two and are actively targeting the set-piece as a contest — with Saturday's first scrum likely to set the tone for the series decider.
Conrad Smith: Bok midfield experience is the edge over the All Blacks
Conrad Smith argues the Boks' more experienced midfield pairing gives them a decisive advantage over the All Blacks in Saturday's series decider at FNB Stadium.
White: All Blacks have cracked the Bok scrum code
White reframes the All Blacks' 'walking around' complaints as tactical flattery — they've clocked a Bok scrum ploy and started copying it.
Jacobson flags collision work as his Test-series yardstick against the Boks
Jacobson is self-critical about his collision work from the Cape Town defeat and frames the Springboks as the hardest physical test in the game, while reflecting on the rarity of a three-Test tour to South Africa and what it means for his career.
From nearly quitting to global superstar: Kolbe's road in his own words
Kolbe opens up on nearly quitting rugby at 19, the Dobson prediction that changed his trajectory, the unsentimental reality of his Bok call-up in 2018, and why coming home to the Stormers felt right — a rare long-form look at the contingencies behind one of the Springboks' most celebrated careers.
Mthethwa steps in as Springbok Women's emergency coach ahead of Black Ferns Test
Melusi Mthethwa, attack and backline coach of the back-to-back Under-20 world champion Junior Springboks, has stepped in to assist the Springbok Women ahead of Saturday's historic first Test against the Black Ferns on South African soil, following Swys de Bruin's absence due to a dispute with SA Rugby.
Conrad Smith: Bok midfield experience is the edge over the All Blacks
Smith argues the Boks' more experienced midfield combination gives them a key edge over the All Blacks in the third Test — a pointed pre-match read from a man who understands that particular battlefield.