Every story on the wire.
1,109 items · Springboks
South Africa beat Scotland 42-28 in Nations Championship
South Africa defeated Scotland 42-28 in their Nations Championship match, with Cobus Papier influential and Jasper Wiese twice penalised in the opening stages.
Scotland lose lock Samuel to knee injury ahead of Loftus Springbok test
Alex Samuel is out with a knee injury, with Max Williamson called onto the bench as Scotland finalise their squad for Saturday's Nations Championship match against the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld.
Six players who'll shape the Springboks vs Scotland Nations Championship clash
Louw picks three danger men per side — Willemse, Papier and Wilco Louw for the Boks; Russell, Steyn and Schoeman for Scotland — and maps the key individual match-ups that will likely decide whether Scotland can trouble the world champions at Loftus.
Mallett flags four Boks with most to prove against Scotland
Mallett argues the rotated Bok XV has a mobility mismatch against Scotland's fast-paced game, and identifies Pollard, Papier, Wiese, and Evan Roos as the players whose spots in the All Blacks series picture depend heavily on Saturday.
World Rugby officials agree Arendse yellow card was incorrect
Former Test referee Nigel Owens has revealed that World Rugby officials believe Kurt-Lee Arendse should not have been sin-binned during the Springboks' victory over England at Ellis Park. The general consensus was that the wing had a realistic opportunity to regather the ball.
Nigel Owens: Arendse yellow card was the wrong call
Nigel Owens says World Rugby officials broadly agree the yellow card shown to Arendse at Ellis Park was the wrong call.
Stick defends rotated Springbok XV as Scotland loom at Loftus
Assistant coach Mzwandile Stick has rejected suggestions that South Africa will field a B team against Scotland on Saturday, despite the starting XV carrying 347 fewer caps than the side that thrashed England. The backline guru pointed to the calculation behind selections such as Wilco Louw and Boan Venter, while warning that the Scots present a tougher proposition than the English outfit dismantled 54-21 at Ellis Park.
Du Toit hails Erasmus as best coach 'by a mile' ahead of record 55th Test
Pieter-Steph du Toit has delivered a powerful endorsement of Rassie Erasmus on the eve of the Springbok coach's record-breaking 55th Test in charge. The milestone, which comes against Scotland at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, moves Erasmus past 2007 World Cup-winning coach Jake White as the most-capped Springbok head coach. Du Toit and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick praised Erasmus for his humanity and the culture he has built around the squad.
Stick: Bok side to face Scotland is no B team despite 347-cap deficit
Mzwandile Stick has rejected the B-team label for Saturday's Nations Championship clash against Scotland at Loftus, despite the Springbok starting XV carrying 347 fewer caps than last weekend's side that beat England, and has cautioned that Scotland — fresh from an away win over Argentina — will be a stiffer test than the scoreline suggests.
Tuipulotu: 'That's stupid' — Scotland captain backs his side despite Loftus test
Tuipulotu backs a changed Scotland side to compete at Loftus, but his sharpest focus is on the bench battle in the final quarter — the moment where the Boks have consistently pulled away in recent meetings.
Erasmus set to break Springbok coaching record as Boks prepare for Scotland test
Pieter-Steph du Toit and Mzwandile Stick have praised Rassie Erasmus ahead of his record-breaking 55th Test as Springbok head coach, while warning that a fifth-ranked Scotland side — led by Finn Russell and an experienced matchday squad — will pose a stern challenge at Loftus on Saturday.
Mallett names the Boks under the microscope against Scotland
Mallett breaks down why Saturday's Scotland test is a watershed moment for Pollard, Papier, Evan Roos, and Cobus Wiese — with pointed analysis on Roos's concentration lapses and whether the forward pack has the mobility to handle Scotland's style.
Matfield singles out De Allende and Wiese as rugby's most overlooked match-winners
Matfield makes a strong case on the Rivals podcast that De Allende, Willemse, and Wiese are all underappreciated on the world stage — and touches on how the Libbok/Pollard selection shapes the Boks' attacking identity.
World Rugby concede Arendse yellow card was wrong — but Owens wants the law tightened
World Rugby have conceded the Arendse yellow card against England was wrong — Nigel Owens breaks down the deliberate knock-on law, explains why the TMO shouldn't have intervened, and calls for clearer officiating guidelines to close the grey area.
Stick dismisses B-team label ahead of Loftus clash with Scotland
Mzwandile Stick has rejected the B-team characterisation of the Springbok side set to face Scotland at Loftus on Saturday, despite a combined cap count 347 lower than last week's England Test, and warned that Scotland — fresh from beating Argentina away — will be a tougher proposition than the English.
'By a mile': Du Toit and Stick on what makes Erasmus truly special
As Erasmus reaches 55 Tests in charge, Du Toit and Stick explain why his legacy has less to do with back-to-back World Cups and more to do with the culture he's built — one defined by humility, trust, and a complete absence of ego.
Du Toit hails Rassie as Springboks' most-capped head coach
Springbok captain Pieter-Steph du Toit has paid tribute to Rassie Erasmus on the occasion of the coach becoming the Springboks' most-capped head coach, saying the record is fitting for someone so deeply invested in the team.
Erasmus to break Springbok coaching record against Scotland at Loftus
Rassie Erasmus breaks Jake White's record of 54 Tests as Springbok head coach when he leads the team against Scotland at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, with SARU's leadership hailing him as the greatest coach in Springbok history. His overall win ratio of 75.93% across two stints rises to 85.7% since resuming the head coaching role in 2024.
Matfield: De Allende the most underrated player in world rugby, Wiese now among the best
Matfield singles out De Allende, Willemse and Wiese as the standout performers from the England demolition — making the case that at least two of them remain chronically undervalued by the wider rugby world.
Van der Merwe eyes dual milestones as Erasmus demands fast start against Scotland
Edwill van der Merwe will make his first Springbok appearance at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday when South Africa face Scotland in the Nations Championship. The Sharks wing, who returns after almost a year out through injury, has scored five tries in five Tests and will come up against former Stellenbosch University teammate Kyle Steyn. Coach Rassie Erasmus has called for another high-intensity start after the Springboks raced into a 17-0 lead against England last week.