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All Blacks third Test selection: Who gains, who loses — and what it means for Soweto
A winners-and-losers read on Rennie's Soweto selection — Ioane's snub, the 6-2 bench decision, and why De Groot and Lord's absence could be decisive given the referee change.
Human hits back at 'walking around' claims ahead of decider at Soccer City
Scrum coach Daan Human has rejected Dave Rennie's 'walking around' claim, saying his methods have been consistent throughout his six years in the role, while lock Ruan Nortje says the focus is on repeating the Boks' lineout dominance from Cape Town ahead of Saturday's series decider at Soccer City.
Paulse expects Nienaber reunion as Bok defence comes under scrutiny
Paulse thinks Erasmus will reunite with Nienaber to shore up a Bok defence that the All Blacks have been picking apart — the piece explores why and what it could mean for the 2027 build-up.
Airlink cancels Johannesburg flypast as SACAA investigates Cape Town stunt
Airlink has pulled its planned Johannesburg flypast ahead of Saturday's Springboks-All Blacks Test, citing weather, while the SACAA reviews the airline's low-level Cape Town display from 29 August.
Matfield fires back as Kirwan admits Springbok rugby 'bores me to tears'
Kirwan says Springbok rugby bores him, Matfield tells him to worry about winning instead of aesthetics — a sharp proxy debate for the contrasting styles at the heart of this series.
All Blacks Test III selection: Winners and losers as Rennie holds his nerve
Planet Rugby's winners-and-losers breakdown of Rennie's Soweto selection — covering the Ioane snub, Blackadder's bad luck, Aumua's promotion, and why the absences of De Groot and Lord could sting harder than expected given the likely refereeing approach at scrum and lineout.
Paulse backs Nienaber return as Bok defence comes under scrutiny
Paulse believes Erasmus will recruit Nienaber to shore up a Springbok defence the All Blacks have been picking apart — the piece explores whether a reunion is on the cards ahead of 2027.
Amashukeli to referee third Springboks-All Blacks Test as Currie Cup semi-finals get their officials
Nika Amashukeli referees the Springboks-All Blacks third Test at FNB Stadium on 5 September, while Griffin Colby and Christopher Allison take charge of the Currie Cup semi-finals the following day.
De Bruin resigns as Springboks Women's coach on eve of Black Ferns Test
Swys de Bruin has resigned as Springboks Women's head coach with immediate effect on the eve of Saturday's Test against the Black Ferns at FNB Stadium, reportedly following a dispute with SA Rugby over winning bonuses and alleged union interference.
De Bruin steps down as Springbok Women coach ahead of Black Ferns clash
Swys de Bruin has reportedly stepped down as Springbok Women head coach after a dispute with SA Rugby over win bonuses and alleged interference, leaving the team without their coach for Saturday's test against the Black Ferns at FNB Stadium.
Airlink cancels Johannesburg flypast as regulator reviews Cape Town stunt
Airlink has pulled its planned flypast before the Springboks-All Blacks Test at FNB Stadium while the SACAA reviews the airline's low-level Cape Town flyby from 29 August.
Airlink withdraws flyover application for series decider in Soweto after Cape Town investigation
Airlink has withdrawn its flyover application for the series decider at FNB Stadium in Soweto after the SACAA launched a formal investigation into the viral Cape Town flypast — estimated at just 15 metres above DHL Stadium's roof — that preceded the Springboks' 33-26 win over the All Blacks on 29 August.
Willemse tops the world, Kolbe raises a selection question
Planet Rugby ranks Willemse the best fullback on the planet right now, with his pre-injury form for the Boks cited as the benchmark. The list also raises a pointed question about whether Kolbe — who has spent much of his recent club rugby at 15 — deserves a more serious look in that position for South Africa.
Fitzpatrick to All Blacks: Tune out Rassie, focus on the rugby
Fitzpatrick urges the All Blacks to ignore the Rennie-Erasmus noise ahead of the Soweto decider, rates both sides as evenly matched, and sees the series as exactly the World Cup preparation New Zealand needs.
'He's the best 12 in the world'
Ahead of the third consecutive Bok-All Black clash, Morne Esben argues that one Springbok inside centre is the best in the world — the piece makes the case for why the midfield battle could again be the series-defining contest.
Kiwi pundit: Erasmus's last-minute selection changes cross the spirit-of-the-game line
Scotty Stevenson argues Erasmus's last-minute Test selection changes breach the spirit of the game, and that his rule-limit-pushing — entertaining as Dagg finds it — has had genuinely damaging consequences, pointing to the Nic Berry situation as the clearest evidence the line has already been crossed.
The Bok scrum, the West Indies quicks, and rugby's uncomfortable political reality
A column built around the third-test scrum battle frames Amashukeli's officiating as a referendum on whether World Rugby's Australasian power bloc has quietly decided the scrum's fate — drawing a pointed parallel with the ICC's bouncer restrictions on the dominant West Indies pace attack. It also delivers a sharp gala-dinner audit of SA rugby's long history of self-inflicted wounds, and an untold Honiball story that explains just how chaotic the 1996 Bok camp really was.
Bok scrum, West Indies pace attacks, and a Georgian referee who could change everything
The piece frames Saturday's third test scrum battle as a referendum on whether the set piece remains a genuine contest in rugby union — drawing a pointed parallel with the ICC's attempts to limit West Indian fast bowling dominance in the 1990s. Amashukeli's Georgian identity is central to the argument. It also revisits the pre-Rassie era's talent-wasting tendencies through vivid anecdotes from the RGR gala dinner.
Airlink withdraws flyover application for Soweto Test after SACAA launches Cape Town investigation
Airlink has withdrawn its flypast application for the decider at FNB Stadium in Soweto after the SACAA launched an investigation into the viral Cape Town flypast, where a plane passed approximately 15 metres above the DHL Stadium roof ahead of the Springboks' 33-26 win over the All Blacks.
Amashukeli's philosophy could reshape the scrum battle in Soweto
Nika Amashukeli's laissez-faire scrum philosophy contrasts sharply with Angus Gardner's micromanagement in Cape Town — and with the series decider in Soweto on the line, the piece argues his approach could meaningfully shift the set-piece dynamic back in the Boks' favour.