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Boks grind, Stormers unearth a gem, and Bulls hit rock bottom
Louw's verdict on a packed weekend: the Boks' Buenos Aires grind reveals something important about their character, Ahmed's Stormers debut turns heads, and the Bulls XV's discipline crisis has all but ended their Currie Cup campaign.
Boks and All Blacks both needed that wake-up call
Rich argues both teams were quietly flattered by beatable opponents, but draws a clear distinction: the Boks got broadly positive returns from Buenos Aires despite Kolisi's injury, while the All Blacks head to Ellis Park with more questions than answers after struggling badly against the Stormers' physicality and aerial game.
Kolisi suffers fresh hamstring setback as Springboks grind past Argentina
Siya Kolisi departed after 24 minutes with a hamstring injury to his opposite leg during the Springboks' 17-10 victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires. The captain will undergo a scan to determine the severity of the issue ahead of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks. Head coach Rassie Erasmus offered cautious optimism, suggesting the injury does not appear serious, though Kolisi's availability for the Ellis Park opener now hangs in the balance.
Erasmus lauds character as Springboks grind out victory despite ring-rust in Buenos Aires
Rassie Erasmus praised his side's resilience after the Springboks edged Argentina 17-10 at Estadio José Amalfitani on Saturday, despite a disjointed performance from players returning from injury. Cameron Hanekom's 62nd-minute try proved decisive as South Africa held firm under late pressure. The head coach acknowledged the display was far from perfect but took satisfaction from the character shown in difficult circumstances.
Springboks keeping close watch on All Blacks ahead of Johannesburg Test
The Springboks are closely monitoring the All Blacks' match against the Sharks in Durban on Tuesday as preparation for the opening Test in Johannesburg.
Frans Steyn on what Faf's Cheetahs move means for the Boks
Steyn weighs in on Faf's Bok relevance and what his mentorship role at the Cheetahs means for scrumhalf development — worth reading for anyone tracking the Bok No. 9 picture.
Rassie's Makeshift Boks Grind Out Buenos Aires Win — And the Defence Was the Story
Harry argues the Springboks' 17-10 win in Buenos Aires was harder to achieve than it looks, with Argentina held scoreless for 71 minutes despite a makeshift Bok lineup — and flags Cameron Hanekom's emergence at eight and Siya Kolisi's injury decline as the key selection storylines heading into the Test Series.
De Klerk's last-gasp try sinks Stormers as Cheetahs climb to second
Faf de Klerk scored a last-minute try as the Cheetahs edged Stormers XXIII 31-26 at Athlone Stadium, claiming a five-try bonus-point win to move to second in the Currie Cup standings.
Erasmus to keep full squad intact as Springboks gear up for All Blacks series
Rassie Erasmus will keep his full 41-man squad together as the Springboks prepare for the four-Test series against New Zealand, with the opening Test in Johannesburg on 22 August and selection decisions two weeks away. Cameron Hanekom strengthened his case at No.8 in the 17-10 win over Argentina, though Erasmus confirmed Jasper Wiese remains first choice at the back of the scrum.
Stormers to feed back All Blacks intel to Springboks after tour opener
John Dobson confirms the Stormers will give the Springbok coaching staff feedback on the All Blacks following Friday's 38-21 tour defeat, building on a pre-match intel exchange that Dobson says produced at least one on-field dividend.
De Klerk snatches Currie Cup victory for Cheetahs with 80th-minute try
Faf de Klerk's 80th-minute try, at the end of a 29-phase move, gave the Cheetahs a 31-26 Currie Cup win over the Stormers XXIII at Athlone Stadium, moving them to second on the log.
Could Brannas force his way back into Bok contention?
Fourie's eye-catching performance against the All Blacks has Burger and De Villiers calling for a Bok recall — the video debates whether the 39-year-old can force his way into the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry squad.
Ugly win, useful lessons — but All Blacks have little to fear yet
A scrappy escape in Buenos Aires gives the All Blacks little to lose sleep over, but the piece argues it was never meant to be a statement — unpacking what the Boks actually gained, what still needs fixing, and why Kolisi's fitness is the real watch-point ahead of the Greatest Rivalry series.
Erasmus hails Hanekom's growth but reaffirms Wiese as first-choice No 8
Erasmus lauds Hanekom's progress at No 8 but confirms Wiese remains the Springboks' first choice.
Bomb Squad saves the Boks, but SFM and the returning stars leave questions unanswered
The Bomb Squad bailed the Boks out in Buenos Aires, but SFM's errors, De Jager's struggles and Kolisi's injury exit mean the narrow win raises as many selection questions as it answers ahead of the All Blacks opener.
Ugly win, sharp questions: Five things the Argentina Test revealed about the Boks
The Boks ground out an ugly 17-10 win in Buenos Aires on the back of scrum dominance alone, with the kicking game, lineout, maul and backline shape all well below par. Planet Rugby's five takeaways break down where the Boks were genuinely poor, why Argentina's defence will concern Erasmus most, and what Contepomi discovered about his own squad in a loss that felt closer to a win.
Erasmus takes the win, not the performance, in Buenos Aires
Erasmus admits the Boks were far from their best in Buenos Aires but points to defensive solidity and mental toughness as the real positives — while flagging attack as the work-in-progress ahead of the All Blacks series.
Kolisi awaits scan results as Springboks manage hamstring concern ahead of All Blacks series
Siya Kolisi will undergo a scan to determine the severity of a hamstring injury suffered after 24 minutes of South Africa's 17-10 win over Argentina in Buenos Aires, with Rassie Erasmus offering cautious optimism ahead of the All Blacks series.
Kolisi awaits scan results after hamstring scare as Springboks turn focus to All Blacks series
Siya Kolisi is set for a scan after leaving South Africa's 17-10 Rugby Championship win over Argentina after just 24 minutes with a hamstring injury, with Rassie Erasmus cautiously optimistic about the severity ahead of the All Blacks series.
Boks grind out 17–10 win in Buenos Aires as Kolisi departs with hamstring injury
The Springboks beat Argentina 17–10 in Buenos Aires but the result is overshadowed by Siya Kolisi's hamstring injury in the 24th minute, which puts his Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Series participation in doubt. Edwill van der Merwe scored the leveller before half-time and Cameron Hanekom dotted down off a dominant scrum in the 63rd minute to seal the win, with Etzebeth captaining the side for the remainder.