Every story on the wire.
2,327 items · Springboks
NZ media credits Rassie's front-row bomb for Cape Town turnaround
New Zealand's rugby press is candid about Cape Town — Erasmus's last-minute front-row switch blindsided the All Blacks' prep and the Boks' superior collision work and game management did the rest, with Love and Jordie Barrett both off their Johannesburg peaks.
The Cape Town scrum explained: why both Rennie and Erasmus were partly right — and partly wrong
A technical dismantling of the Cape Town scrum controversy — what Rennie's 'walking around' charge actually means mechanically, why Nché's hip mobility sits at the centre of it, and how surface conditions, referee approach and Erasmus's deliberate substitution timing all shaped a penalty count that neither coach's public narrative fully explains.
Lekker Rugby Pod: Dave Rennie Went to the Top, and Angus Gardner Arrived With Instructions
The Lekker Rugby Pod argues that Dave Rennie lobbied World Rugby before the second test, resulting in referee Angus Gardner policing the Springbok scrum under what amounts to an off-the-books interpretation — and that the All Blacks' "walk-around" narrative collapses under scrutiny of the actual laws and the scrum statistics.
Springbok centre Joggie Jansen passes away at 78
Former Springbok centre Joggie Jansen, who earned 10 Test caps between 1970 and 1972 and is remembered for one of rugby's most celebrated tackles, passed away following a heart attack in Namibia on Sunday. He was 78.
Tupaea pinpoints where the Boks hurt the All Blacks most
Tupaea identifies the high-ball battle and the All Blacks' own errors as the decisive factors in the second Test loss, with both areas squarely in New Zealand's sights heading into the series decider at FNB Stadium.
Erasmus warns of improved All Blacks as Greatest Rivalry heads to decider
South Africa's 33-26 win at DHL Stadium levels the Greatest Rivalry series at 1-1, with Erasmus warning the Springboks must improve significantly before the Johannesburg decider despite ending Dave Rennie's unbeaten start as All Blacks coach.
Cape Town win keeps Boks alive — but at what cost going into Soweto?
The Boks were sharper and more efficient in Cape Town, but Spink argues they burned through every available lifeline to win — and the Erasmus front-row switch will hand the All Blacks a motivational edge heading into the Soweto decider.
Erasmus fires back at Rennie over scrum allegations
Erasmus hits back at Rennie's 'walking around' scrum accusations, calling it deliberate referee-influencing and pointing to unpunished All Black infringements as evidence of double standards — the exchange sets up a spicy narrative heading into the third Test in Johannesburg.
Erasmus's front-row bluff, Marx's deployment window, and why New Zealand's media game backfired
Erasmus's anonymous front-row switch bought lineout dominance at the cost of scrum control, but the real margin came from deploying Marx into the precise refereeing window where jackling penalties are most rewarded. The piece also argues Rennie won the media-tactics battle this week — and that the All Blacks' lineout problems are more serious than their stats suggest.
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.