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Nyakane and Kitshoff on why Pollock will get a cold welcome — and a thorough game-plan
Nyakane explains why Pollock's social media persona will land badly with conservative South African crowds, while Kitshoff points to Felix Jones's inside knowledge of England as the Boks' edge in neutralising Pollock and the Smiths at Ellis Park.
Nyakane: South African rugby culture means Pollock will get a cold reception — on and off the field
Nyakane and Kitshoff unpack why Pollock's persona will grate with conservative South African rugby culture — and why Felix Jones's inside knowledge of England's setup gives the Boks an analytical edge in neutralising him at Ellis Park.
Norton's Test debut dashed by Grade Three hamstring tear ahead of England opener
Riley Norton's Springbok debut against England on Saturday has been ended by a Grade Three hamstring tear sustained in training, with Rassie Erasmus confirming an eight-to-ten week recovery. The injury compounds South Africa's second-row problems, with Franco Mostert and Lood de Jager also unavailable.
Norton's Test debut dashed by Grade Three hamstring tear as Bok lock stocks thin further
Riley Norton's Test debut against England has been ended by a Grade Three hamstring tear sustained in training, with Rassie Erasmus estimating an eight-to-ten week recovery. The injury deepens South Africa's second-row crisis, with Mostert and De Jager also unavailable.
Libbok gets the nod at flyhalf for England Test opener
Manie Libbok starts at flyhalf for the Springboks against England at Ellis Park in the opening Nations Championship Test on Saturday.
Don't be fooled by England's Six Nations finish — this is a genuine test for the Boks
A well-argued warning against Bok fan overconfidence ahead of the Nations Championship opener — England's Six Nations implosion had clear context, their Paris performance suggests they're back, and the Boks' seasonal rust is a real variable. Erasmus's wariness is well-founded.
Victor Matfield: How he reinvented the lineout — and why modern teams are doing it wrong
Matfield reveals how he became the first player to fully own lineout calling, traces it to Swys de Bruin at Griquas, and argues modern teams have overcomplicated what should be built on speed.
The Tank! #Shorts #Steco #Springboks
The Tank! #Shorts #Steco #Springboks
Erasmus fires the first shot with a full-strength Bok lineup
Erasmus named a full-strength Nations Championship XV early in the week — Kitson argues it's a deliberate psychological play that puts England on the back foot before the game has even started.
The Northampton blueprint: England's altitude cheat code for Ellis Park?
The piece asks whether Northampton and Bristol's recent Loftus wins give England a replicable blueprint for Ellis Park — and with six Saints players likely starting, Borthwick's side may be banking on exactly that altitude formula.
Kolisi grooming his own successor
Hermanus makes the case that Kolisi is deliberately nurturing his successor, with the Nations Championship providing the platform. Worth reading for the player identification and the succession argument.
England arrive at Ellis Park with nothing to lose as Borthwick reshapes squad
England travel to Johannesburg for Saturday's Nations Championship opener against the Springboks in the midst of significant transition. Steve Borthwick has named five uncapped players in a 36-man touring party and will field Jamie George as captain in place of the rested Maro Itoje. The visitors face a Springbok side mindful of their own Ellis Park vulnerability after last year's heavy defeat to Australia at the same venue.
Ellis Park has bitten the Boks before — England's visit is no gimme
Cardinelli warns that Ellis Park's track record of chaos, combined with an underestimated England side built around Northampton's attacking game, makes Saturday's Nations Championship opener a genuine trap — drawing a sharp parallel with the Wallabies ambush at the same venue last year.
How England plan to line up against the Boks at Ellis Park — and why Pollock is the name to watch
Planet Rugby predicts England will field a ball-in-hand backline and a fluid, Pollock-led back row at Ellis Park, with Borthwick expected to mirror the Boks' physicality through a 6:2 bench split.
Tandy to cut Wales squad ahead of Nations Championship campaign
Steve Tandy will cut Wales' 48-man squad to 32–34 players early next week ahead of their Nations Championship campaign, which includes a Test against the Springboks.
US Consulate General welcomes Springboks ahead of historic Baltimore Test
The U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg has welcomed the Springboks ahead of the September 12 Test against the All Blacks in Baltimore — the first-ever Springboks-All Blacks clash on American soil and the fourth Test of the 2026 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.
JP Pietersen backs Vusi Moyo to thrive at Test level
JP Pietersen says Vusi Moyo has the big-match temperament to thrive in the Springbok environment.
Expect the unexpected: KEO's predicted 23 for England — and why Erasmus might ignore it
KEO maps out a full predicted 23 for the England Test, but the piece is really about whether Erasmus prioritises the win or uses July as an extended All Blacks audition — and why the answer shapes every tight selection call from loosehead cover to the No 8 shootout.
Koch try not enough as Wales edge Faf's Barbarians at Twickenham
Vincent Koch scored for the Barbarians at Twickenham but Wales edged the Faf de Klerk-led side in a hard-fought match.
Fassi to take Japan sabbatical as Sharks face fullback shortage
Aphelele Fassi will spend the 2026/27 season in Japan as part of a sabbatical clause in his Sharks contract, returning to Durban in July 2027. The move leaves the Sharks without three fullbacks for next season, with Hakeem Kunene and Luan Giliomee both having departed to the Bulls.