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2,966 items · Springboks
Was the Pumas performance a deliberate hand-hide ahead of the All Blacks series?
Nel makes the case that the Boks' scrappy Pumas win tells us almost nothing about their All Blacks plans — and that may well have been by design, with Erasmus possibly using the low-stakes fixture to hide his hand ahead of Ellis Park.
Was the Pumas performance a deliberate act of concealment ahead of the All Blacks series?
Nel argues the Boks' scrappy win over Argentina was more about match fitness and concealment than form — and that Erasmus may have deliberately avoided showing his hand ahead of the Ellis Park test.
Bosch returns from France with Bok ambitions firmly intact
Curwin Bosch says two seasons with Brive gave him the reset he needed — and he's returned to the Bulls, and the South African system, with Springbok ambitions as strong as ever.
Mexted: South Africa is the hardest place in world rugby to tour
Mexted draws on his Natal playing days and Cavaliers tour to warn the All Blacks: South Africa is the toughest rugby environment on the planet, and a 2-2 series split would be a result to be satisfied with.
Rennie's time-wasting push is opening shot in Bok-All Black mind games
Rennie's public push for stricter time-wasting enforcement is framed as pre-series mind games rather than a genuine officiating concern — the piece argues the All Blacks are trying to shape referee behaviour ahead of Ellis Park, knowing a faster game suits their style over the Boks' forward-heavy approach.
Fourie's Stormers masterclass earns him a Bok recall
Fourie's barnstorming Stormers display against the All Blacks — featuring try-saving tackles, relentless jackalling and player-of-the-match honours — made his Greatest Rivalry recall a formality, even if he's not expected to start the first Test.
Bosch eager to seize All Blacks test at Loftus
Bulls flyhalf Curwin Bosch says he is ready to prove himself against the All Blacks at Loftus as he bids to return to Springbok contention.
Matfield: Stormers gave the All Blacks a preview — but the scrum is the real worry
Matfield argues the Stormers clash was useful All Blacks preparation but exposed a genuine scrum problem — one that a full Springbok pack will ruthlessly exploit if Rennie's side can't fix it before the Test series.
Marshall: Why the Greatest Rivalry Is the Ultimate Test — and Why New Zealand Rugby Misses South Africa
Justin Marshall argued that South Africa's exit from Super Rugby has left a generation of All Blacks underprepared for what awaits them, and identified Mo'unga's absence and the lack of a genuine fetcher as the two selections most likely to hurt New Zealand across a four-test series.
Boks grind out 17-10 win over Pumas to stretch streak to 12
The Springboks survived a feisty Argentina challenge and a late 15-phase siege to win 17-10 in Buenos Aires, extending their winning streak to 12 Tests, with tries from Edwill van der Merwe and debutant scorer Cameron Hanekom proving decisive — though Siya Kolisi's early departure with a suspected hamstring injury will concern management.
Fourie returns to Springbok fold after three-year Test absence
Rassie Erasmus has recalled veteran utility forward Deon Fourie to the Springbok squad for the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series against New Zealand. The 39-year-old, whose last Test was the 2023 World Cup final, made his return from injury for the Stormers on Friday night and will join the national squad in Johannesburg on Tuesday morning.
Springboks hold World Rugby summit ahead of All Blacks series after Buenos Aires win
South Africa hold top spot on 93.96 ranking points ahead of the All Blacks series after their 17-10 win over Argentina, while Australia's narrow victory over Japan in Les Kiss's first match as head coach pushed Wales back into the top 10 for the first time since July 2024.
Boks Office: Cameron Hanekom emerges as the RGR's breakout star — but warning signs linger ahead of the All Blacks
The hosts rate the Boks' Argentina win a 6/10 and identify Cameron Hanekom as the series' early breakout player, while pinpointing New Zealand's set-piece fragility — exposed by the Stormers' maul — as the key battleground for the first Test.
Hansen on Fourie's recall and Nonu's emotional homecoming
Hansen weighs in on Fourie's veteran recall and the emotional weight of Nonu's All Blacks reunion — worth a read for his take on what both selections actually mean.
Numbers don't lie: The tactical gulf between the Boks and All Blacks heading into the Greatest Rivalry series
A statistical breakdown of both teams' 2025 campaigns reveals the All Blacks as a high-tempo, ball-in-hand machine while the Boks' numbers point to a kicking-heavy, pragmatic approach — though Erasmus's rotation policy makes it hard to know how much is genuine tactics and how much is smoke and mirrors ahead of the series.
Kolbe vs Jordan: Watson and Youngs settle the greatest winger debate ahead of the Greatest Rivalry series
Watson and Youngs break down Kolbe vs Jordan ahead of the Greatest Rivalry series — Jordan edges on speed and try-scoring efficiency, but Kolbe's one-on-one footwork is rated the best ever, and his all-court game puts him in a category of his own.
Hansen flags the injury trap in South Africa's 6-2 bench strategy
Hansen warns that the 6-2 split looks smart until injuries force a reshuffle — the piece unpacks his critique of how South African teams are exposed by their own tactical signature.
Mallett makes the case for Libbok at 10 — and names Hanekom as the wildcard if Kolisi misses the opener
Mallett tips Libbok as the safer Ellis Park selection over an off-colour Feinberg-Mngomezulu, flags Hanekom as an under-the-radar option at seven if Kolisi is ruled out, and expects the Test XV to be built largely around the players kept back from Argentina.
Mallett backs Libbok as 'safer bet' at 10 and sees Hanekom as wildcard if Kolisi misses All Blacks opener
Mallett sees Libbok as a legitimate — possibly preferable — starting option at fly-half for Ellis Park, flags Hanekom as a surprise Kolisi replacement, and gives his broader read on who the Argentina match helped or hurt heading into the All Blacks series.
Hansen: Bomb Squad is a gamble — and the Stormers just showed the downside
Hansen argues the 6-2 bench split is a calculated gamble the Boks accept willingly — but the Stormers' collapse against the All Blacks, triggered by a double halfback injury, shows exactly what 'rolling the dice' can cost. With Esterhuizen's fitness now uncertain, Erasmus's hybrid solution to the vulnerability may be unavailable when it matters most.