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Bulls split their pre-season around the All Blacks fixture — and Ackermann thinks it's worth it
The Bulls' deep URC run has forced a split pre-season around the 15 August All Blacks fixture. Ackermann is navigating the conditioning-versus-contact-readiness tension with a short turnaround, and the piece explores what that means for both the marquee game and the franchise's URC preparation.
Etzebeth on his worst day, his 2019 vs 2023 verdict, and why Rassie is Michael Scofield
Etzebeth opens up on the 2015 semi-final as his career low, explains what Erasmus actually changed in Bok culture, and rates 2019 above 2023 — with a memorable Prison Break analogy for Rassie's tactical edge.
Etzebeth names 2015 semi-final aftermath as his worst day — and explains the 'Prison Break' quality that makes Erasmus different
Etzebeth opens up on the 2015 semi-final loss as the darkest moment of his career, rates 2019 above 2023 as a World Cup achievement, and gives a telling account of how Erasmus rebuilt Bok culture around accountability and collective buy-in rather than individual stardom.
Cane expects All Blacks to feed off Ellis Park hostility
Sam Cane backs the All Blacks to thrive under Ellis Park pressure, framing the hostile atmosphere as motivation rather than a threat ahead of the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry opener against the Springboks.
Hansen on the Greatest Rivalry: stylistic contrast, referee drift, and why contestable kicks worry him
Hansen welcomes the attacking shift in Test rugby and a perceived change in referee attitude, but flags two specific concerns heading into the Greatest Rivalry series: defences aren't competitive enough at contestable kicks, and referees are quietly letting crooked lineout throws slide — both areas where the Springboks' game plan sits comfortably.
Cane's Ellis Park goosebumps — and why that 2022 Bok win meant everything
Cane singles out the 2022 Ellis Park Test — with Foster's job on the line — as the Springbok victory that still gives him goosebumps, and explains why the hostile Ellis Park atmosphere was something the All Blacks actively fed off.
Kirwan and Matfield back Savea rest call — but Lions ghost looms over Rennie's decision
Kirwan and Matfield both endorse resting Savea before the Test series, but Kirwan raises a pointed warning about squad cohesion — invoking Woodward's ill-fated 2005 Lions setup as a cautionary tale for Rennie.
Matfield: Kolisi and Etzebeth still World Cup-bound — but nobody gets a free pass under Rassie
Matfield backs Kolisi and Etzebeth to reach the 2027 World Cup, arguing De Villiers is a complement rather than a straight replacement, while underlining that Erasmus's uncompromising form-or-drop culture applies to everyone — veterans included.
Ackermann: Rennie's All Blacks are on the rise — but the Boks will still be too strong
Ackermann rates Rennie's All Blacks as a genuine step up from recent New Zealand teams but backs Springbok depth and set-piece to win out across the four-Test series — while flagging the tour match as a formative moment for his younger Bulls squad.
Tour catch-22: Why the franchise games against the All Blacks are set up to disappoint
Gavin Rich identifies a structural catch-22 for the All Black tour franchise games: URC sides must field their best available teams but are three weeks into pre-season, missing all their Boks, and facing a tourists who've played three tests together — conditions that make competitive games nearly impossible and raise real injury risk ahead of the URC season.
The All Black tour catch-22: underdone franchises, star players in Bok camp, and a pricing problem
Gavin Rich argues that the RGR franchise tour games face a near-unsolvable structural problem: Bok players are unavailable, remaining squad members are barely three weeks into pre-season, and ticket prices are already dampening demand — creating a real risk the opening tour fixtures undermine the concept before the Test series even begins.
Rennie eyes World Cup answers in South Africa — Mo'unga, Ioane and the 6-2 gamble explained
Rennie is using the South Africa tour as a World Cup stress test — trialling the 6-2 split, managing scrum-half depth, keeping Mo'unga on standby and resetting Ioane as a winger. The piece details the selection logic behind each call.
Rennie tips his hat to Rassie ahead of the Rivalry Series
Rennie calls Erasmus the most innovative coach in the game and says the Boks' ability to rotate heavily and still dominate Scotland underlines their depth — while keeping his own expectations for the Rivalry Series deliberately close to his chest.
All Blacks squad for SA tour: Who's in, who's out, and what it means for the Boks series
A detailed winners-and-losers breakdown of Rennie's All Blacks tour squad — covering the uncapped inclusions, the Savea rest strategy, Kirifi's shock snub, and the injury absences that reshape New Zealand's depth ahead of the Bok Tests.
Rennie bulks up for the Boks while keeping one eye on Australia 2027
Rennie's squad is built around a deliberate physical response to the Springbok forward pack, with Ta'eiloa and Blackadder added to give the loose trio some real bulk. But the piece also reads the tour as a World Cup laboratory — veterans like Beauden Barrett and Codie Taylor face genuine scrutiny, and the back selections are designed for tactical experimentation as much as winning.
Rennie bulks up for the Boks while using the Greatest Rivalry tour as a World Cup audition
Rennie's 44-man squad is built around two goals: adding forward mass to front the Springbok pack, and using the tour's scale to answer lingering World Cup selection questions — from uncapped bolters to veterans like Beauden Barrett.
Dan Cole: Why the Springbok scrum is unbeatable for 80 minutes
Dan Cole lays out why the Springbok scrum is unplayable — raw mass, psychological dominance that bends 50/50 refereeing decisions their way, and a bench that doubles down on the pressure rather than easing it.
All Blacks' Greatest Rivalry squad: The standout calls and notable snubs
A detailed winners-and-losers breakdown of Rennie's 44-man All Blacks squad for the Greatest Rivalry tour — covering the uncapped inclusions, Savea's managed rest, Kirifi's shock snub, and the injury absences that will shape the Test series against the Springboks.
Hansen predicts 2-all split and praises Erasmus's 'drip-feed' squad management
Hansen argues Erasmus's rotation strategy is cohesion-building rather than risk-taking, predicts a 2-all series split, while McKenzie suggests the All Blacks' new-era flexibility could be the key variable across four Tests.
Planet Rugby's combined Bok-All Black XV: South Africa dominate, but who makes the cut?
Planet Rugby's combined Bok-All Black XV ahead of the four-Test series gives South Africa nine of fifteen spots, with SFM, Willemse and a Bok-dominated forward pack leading the way — Roigard and Jordie Barrett carry the All Black case.