Every story on the wire.
2,079 items · Analysis
Conrad Smith on the Boks: brutal on the field, beers after the whistle
Conrad Smith reflects on facing the Springboks during his All Blacks career — fierce on the field, genuine mates after the whistle, with a Bakkies Botha anecdote that captures the era perfectly.
Fourie tops the charts as Planet Rugby ranks the Greatest Rivalry tour's best performers
Planet Rugby ranks Deon Fourie as the tour's best performer so far, ahead of Jordie Barrett — the piece breaks down who's made their case for the Test series through the two warm-up wins.
Murray Mexted: Boks have 150 Test-ready players — All Blacks have 40
Murray Mexted puts a number on the Boks' depth advantage — 150 Test-ready players to New Zealand's 40 — and credits Erasmus's eight-year rotation philosophy for building a squad pool with no close rival heading into the 2027 World Cup cycle.
Rennie's tour selections: Masterstroke or a costly gamble ahead of Ellis Park?
Rennie's decision to field weakened sides against the Stormers and Bulls is either a deliberate masterstroke — protecting Test ploys while using stronger opposition to evaluate fringe players — or a dangerous gamble that leaves Savea, Jordan and Roigard undercooked for Ellis Park. The piece breaks down the selection logic, the Barrett-at-15 and Mo'unga questions, and what Rennie still needs answered at Loftus.
The Greatest Rivalry Tour is a case for bringing back old-school touring rugby
Williams uses the All Blacks' South Africa tour to argue that old-school multi-match touring rugby deserves a proper comeback — and the Greatest Rivalry format shows it can work commercially and competitively.
Stormers' six-two disaster doesn't invalidate the Bok Bomb Squad
The Stormers' six-two nightmare against the All Blacks has given Bomb Squad critics fresh ammunition, but Louw argues the comparison is flawed — the Boks' squad versatility and Erasmus's planning depth mean they're insulated from the specific vulnerabilities that sank the Stormers.
Coetzee brings 14 years of Test perspective to Bulls' All Blacks challenge
With his last All Blacks outing dating back to 2014, Coetzee is relishing the chance to lead a Bulls side — packed with promising youngsters — into one of the toughest possible pre-season tests, and he's leaning on a decade of Test experience to frame the occasion as a genuine career benchmark for those around him.
Ref wars brewing: Ex-Boks warn RGR could turn ugly with officials in the crosshairs
Shimange, De Villiers and Burger warn that clashing officiating standards and New Zealand's sustained referee criticism could boil over during the RGR Tests — while Shimmy also identifies a genuine tactical weakness in how the All Blacks currently defend the maul.
The Flannery factor: Why Erasmus's defence coach could be the key to unlocking the All Blacks
A detailed profile of Bok defence coach Jerry Flannery, drawing on Adam Jones's Harlequins memories to explain why Erasmus rate him so highly — and why his system will be under its greatest test at Ellis Park.
Don't move Love from 10 — Dagg's message to Rennie ahead of Bok series
Israel Dagg is calling on Rennie to keep Ruben Love at 10 regardless of McKenzie's fitness, warning that shuffling him to full-back would repeat the positional instability that hampered Barrett's career.
The 1976 All Blacks tour: future Springboks hiding in the thirds, and a famous WP comeback
A deep-dive into the South African club and provincial scene on the eve of the 1976 All Blacks tour, tracing future Springboks — including Rob Louw and Hempies du Toit — from university third-team rugby through to Test level, while revisiting the famous WP comeback win that ended New Zealand's three-year unbeaten streak.
All Blacks' 'slow play' narrative is a calculated play on the officials — not just words
New Zealand's coaching staff are pushing a 'slow play' narrative hard before the Test series — and they've already taken it directly to the match officials. The piece dissects why the premise doesn't hold up against the Boks' recent record, and why the tactic looks less like legitimate complaint and more like a calculated attempt to influence officiating.
Dagg's message to Rennie: Don't repeat the Barrett mistake with Ruben Love
Dagg argues Rennie must keep Love at 10 regardless of McKenzie's fitness, warning that shuffling him to cover fullback risks repeating the positional instability that stunted Barrett's career. Mo'unga off the bench and Jordan at 15 is the preferred solution ahead of the first Bok Test.
Empty seats in Durban tell the real story of where the Springboks stand
Gallan argues that empty seats in Durban and the heavily branded 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' tour reveal the same truth: the All Blacks no longer hold psychological dominance over South Africa, and the Springboks have a chance to use this series to press a genuine all-time-great legacy claim.
Ackermann eyes All Black test as a proving ground despite pre-season constraints
Ackermann sees Saturday's All Blacks clash at Loftus as a real-time test of the Bulls' pre-season work, acknowledging they're underprepared but backing them to 'embrace the occasion' and show early signs of their new game-plan direction.
Dagg identifies the kicking wrinkle that should worry Bok analysts
Dagg breaks down why the All Blacks' kicking game against the Sharks was harder to defend than it looked — and why that tactical unpredictability is a genuine Test series concern for the Boks.
Bosch on his French reset, Bulls debut and why his Bok ambitions haven't dimmed
Bosch explains how Brive gave him the mental reset he needed after feeling constrained at the Sharks, and why he believes he's returning to the Bulls as a freer, more complete player — with a Bok recall firmly in his sights.
NZ media: All Blacks still a work in progress despite Sharks hammering
NZ media see improvement but not a statement — the All Blacks still look like a project, and most agree Erasmus won't be losing sleep yet. The Barrett vs De Allende midfield duel is already being circled as a series subplot.
The forgotten Springbok who made history before the rivalry began
Ahead of the All Blacks Test, SA Rugby Mag unearths a remarkable Springbok achievement that predates the rivalry — worth a read for any fan who thinks they know the history.
Four Boks in Planet Rugby's top 10 props — and du Toit leads the pack
Planet Rugby ranks Thomas du Toit the world's best prop ahead of Ox Nche, with Louw and Steenekamp also making the top 10 — four Boks in all, with England's Genge and the rapidly risen Heyes the closest challengers.