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Rennie warns All Blacks must lift several gears for Ellis Park Test
Rennie is happy with three tour wins but draws a sharp line between provincial opposition and Bok intensity — his post-Bulls message was that his side needs to lift 'three, four, five-fold' for Ellis Park.
Ackermann: All Blacks' deep-half gambles won't fly against the Boks
Ackermann warns the All Blacks that the scoreboard cushion which let them play cavalier rugby from their own half won't be available against the Springboks — and he sees patient ball-in-hand play as the key weapon for the Boks at Ellis Park.
Kronfeld senses 'something growing' under Rennie ahead of Bok tour
Kronfeld says the All Blacks finally look like they're building something coherent under Rennie after years of confused rugby, but openly admits the Springbok tour is a genuine unknown — and that collective buy-in will be the deciding factor.
Etzebeth tops Planet Rugby's global lock rankings — Nortjé and Snyman also feature
Etzebeth leads Planet Rugby's global lock rankings, with Nortjé and Snyman also featuring — the list doubles as a useful World Cup form guide for Bok second-row depth.
Rennie: Bulls win was 'almost like training for the Springboks'
Rennie was satisfied with the All Blacks' controlled performance against the Bulls but openly acknowledged the step up required for next week's first Test — wholesale changes coming, Roigard and Jordan back, McKenzie uncertain.
Greatest Rivalry tour put profit before fans — and it showed
Keohane argues the Greatest Rivalry tour was a cash grab that got ticket pricing wrong and should never have taken the Test series offshore — fans paid the price for both calls.
The All Blacks still sell out South Africa — but the tour structure got it wrong
Sold-out venues from Cape Town to Baltimore prove the rivalry's magnetism is undiminished, but the columnist argues the tour structure squandered an opportunity — overpriced warm-up games excluded the fans who'd have filled those grounds, the fourth Test in the US is a money-grab, and the real series should have been settled entirely in South Africa.
Ignore the warm-ups — only two matches matter heading into Ellis Park
A sharp pre-match guide arguing that only the Boks' win over England and the All Blacks' win over Ireland are relevant form guides — everything else was managed preparation. Breaks down how both Erasmus and Rennie deliberately shielded their first-choice combinations, and why the real test of both squads begins at Ellis Park.
All Blacks put down a marker with 50-19 demolition of the Bulls
The Bulls were undercooked, but the All Blacks' 50-19 win carried genuine warning signs for the Boks — scrum dominance, a dangerous backline and composure under pressure all featured ahead of Saturday's Ellis Park clash.
McKenzie doubt, Mo'unga eased in: All Blacks' injury picture ahead of Ellis Park
Rennie is quietly optimistic about his squad's tour form but has three injury calls to make, with McKenzie the biggest uncertainty. Mo'unga won't feature in the first Test despite arriving in camp.
Ackermann backs patient Boks to exploit All Blacks
Ackermann shares a knowing take on how the Boks can exploit the All Blacks — patience is the theme, with the full piece unpacking the tactical detail behind it.
All Blacks put 50 on the Bulls — but plenty still to fix before the Bok Tests
Fortune's player-by-player breakdown of the All Blacks' Loftus win highlights Carter, Ioane and Numia as form players heading into the Bok series, while flagging Ratima's kicking, Moorby's defence and a largely anonymous bench as areas Rennie needs to address.
All Blacks' Loftus demolition job carries a Saturday warning
The All Blacks' comfortable Loftus win was built on an underdone Bulls side, but the scrum dominance and backline structure on show carry a real warning for the Boks ahead of Saturday's Ellis Park Test — the piece breaks down the key moments that will matter when the real thing kicks off.
Rennie warns his squad: the Boks are a different beast entirely
Rennie has put his squad on notice that the Bulls win was a dress rehearsal — the full piece unpacks what he said about facing the Boks.
Bulls fall into the pace trap as All Blacks roll on
The Bulls were the latest SA side to fall to the All Blacks, and this piece breaks down the tactical pace trap that undid them and what New Zealand's perfect tour record genuinely signals.
Barrett bounces back, but it's the wingers stealing All Blacks headlines before Ellis Park
Planet Rugby's post-match ratings from the Bulls clash double as a pre-Test Bok scouting report — Carter and Moorby have made Rennie's back-three selection a genuine dilemma, Barrett looks revived at fullback, and the All Blacks front row issued a direct scrum warning to the Springboks.
All Blacks tour complete: What Rennie learned from a 50-19 dismantling of the Bulls
A breakdown of what the All Blacks' 50-19 win over the Bulls confirmed ahead of the Springbok Tests — improved discipline, a more consistent scrum, and an attack system that's clicking — plus what it means for Rennie's Test selection puzzle.
Five Bulls players who could make life uncomfortable for the All Blacks at Loftus
The Bulls, unlike the Sharks, have the personnel to genuinely test New Zealand at Loftus — Papier's game-breaking ability, Rudolph's breakdown dominance, le Roux's experience and Bosch's long-awaited return are the specific weapons the piece identifies as reasons to expect a real contest.
Kronfeld lowers the bar: Don't judge Rennie on the Springboks series
Kronfeld argues Rennie shouldn't be judged on Springboks series results — his real mandate is building toward the World Cup, and competitive performances matter more than wins right now.
Ackermann's honest assessment: Bulls are underprepared but relishing the All Blacks challenge
Ackermann flags the Bulls' condensed preparation as a genuine concern while outlining what he expects from Rennie's high-tempo All Blacks — and explains why the historic rarity of the fixture raises the stakes further for his squad.