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Rassie Erasmus, Ox Nche and Jesse Kriel | Springbok Press Conference | 30 June 2026
Rassie Erasmus, Ox Nche and Jesse Kriel fronted the media in Johannesburg on Tuesday, looking forward to Saturday's season-opening Test against England at Ellis Park, which is also the first round of the new Nations Championship.
Ox Nché warns Springboks not to underestimate England's scrum threat at Ellis Park
Ox Nché has dismissed suggestions that England will arrive at Ellis Park as easy opposition, highlighting the quality of their scrum and the energy brought by a crop of young talent. The veteran loosehead, speaking ahead of Saturday's Nations Championship opener, pointed to the standard of the English Premiership and warned that the visitors possess the variation and finishing ability to punish any lapses. Coach Rassie Erasmus echoed the sentiment, refusing to write off a side that has lost five consecutive matches.
Nché and Erasmus warn against underestimating England ahead of Nations Championship opener
Ox Nché and Rassie Erasmus have urged against dismissing England ahead of Saturday's Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park, with both citing the tourists' Premiership pedigree and physical forward pack as reasons for respect despite England's poor Six Nations campaign.
Rassie on Alles Ep 2 | England at Ellis Park
The first Test of 2026 is here, and for the Boks, facing England at Ellis Park brings a number of tough challenges. Check out what Rassie Erasmus, Mzwandile Stick and Deon Davids had to say about this clash in the second episode of "Rassie
Faf de Klerk leads Cheetahs' Currie Cup recruitment drive
Faf de Klerk headlines a five-player Cheetahs recruitment drive for the 2026 Currie Cup season, joined by Henry Immelman, Simon Muller, Siya Ningiza, and Kobus Janse van Rensburg.
Erasmus explains the Janse van Rensburg decision — it wasn't a snub, it was a pecking order
Erasmus confirms BJvR was on the Bok radar but couldn't be promised a cap — so England moved first. The piece frames it as a depth problem rather than a rejection, and is worth reading for Rassie's candid account of how the conversation unfolded.
Borthwick's silo culture drove Felix Jones back to the Boks
Telegraph sources reveal Jones was sidelined within Borthwick's coaching structure, barred from cross-department input and frustrated by a culture that lacked winning ruthlessness — the antithesis of the Springbok environment he'd come from. Walters' exit sealed the decision, and South Africa made clear they wanted him back.
Why the Joe Lewis appointment is bigger than just England week
Joe Lewis's appointment as Bok analyst is getting attention because of his Borthwick ties, but the piece argues the real story is Erasmus quietly closing a significant resource gap — the Boks have been operating with one analyst while rivals field five or more.
Louw recalled to Springbok squad as Norton's Grade 3 hamstring rules him out of Nations Championship debut
Elrigh Louw returns to the Springbok squad for the Nations Championship after Riley Norton suffered a Grade 3 hamstring tear in training, ruling the SA under-20 captain out for eight to ten weeks and ending his chance of a senior debut in the tournament's opening rounds.
Matfield 'nervous' ahead of England opener — and his concerns deserve attention
Matfield is openly nervous about the Boks' readiness for England despite the rankings gap — he questions cohesion, scrum supremacy, and tactical identity heading into an opener against a team that, despite poor form, is more match-hardened.
Lewis Appointment Gives Boks Edge Over England, Confirms Erasmus
Rassie Erasmus has confirmed that former England analyst Joe Lewis, who joined the Springboks after working with Steve Borthwick's side during the Six Nations, brings valuable inside knowledge ahead of Saturday's Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park. The appointment is part of a broader modernisation of the Boks' analysis department to match Tier One rivals, though Erasmus acknowledged that intellectual property regularly moves between international setups.
Rassie's analytics upgrade: Joe Lewis adds edge for England clash
Erasmus acknowledges Lewis's England intel as a genuine advantage, but the more revealing story is his frank admission that the Boks have been outgunned analytically for years — and that this restructured unit is the fix.
Hitting the gym
The hard work is never done 🏋️♀️ #Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold
Halfpenny joins Wales coaching staff for Nations Championship Bok clash
Leigh Halfpenny joins Steve Tandy's Wales coaching staff as interim kicking coach for the July Nations Championship fixtures, which include a match against the Springboks.
England reveal altitude acclimatisation strategy ahead of Ellis Park Test
England have revealed they are using wattbikes and portable hypoxic generators to simulate altitude conditions ahead of the July 4 Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park.
England tuning out the Pollock hype — but the Boks should tune in
Rassie has twice publicly praised Pollock ahead of Saturday's clash, and England's camp echoes the sentiment — suggesting the 'cocky youngster who needs taking down a peg' narrative may be flattering to deceive.
50 caps, 21 tries — but Kolbe's Bok impact still feels underrepresented
Kolbe's 50th cap this weekend prompts reflection on a career that has punched well above its cap count — the piece revisits his most decisive Bok moments and asks why a player this influential hasn't played twice as many Tests.
Halfpenny takes interim kicking coach role as Wales prepare for Nations Championship Springbok clash
Leigh Halfpenny joins Steve Tandy's Wales coaching staff as interim kicking coach for their Nations Championship campaign, which includes a July Test against the Springboks.
Mallett's Erasmus anecdotes reveal the roots of a generational coaching mind
Mallett shares two previously untold Erasmus stories — a disallowed interception try that changed TMO protocol, and lessons drawn from the 1997 Twickenham loss — building a compelling case for how the player's analytical instincts and the Munster stint forged the coach South Africa has now.
Louw called up as Norton ruled out eight to ten weeks with Grade 3 hamstring
Elrigh Louw has been recalled to the Springbok squad after Riley Norton was ruled out eight to ten weeks with a Grade 3 hamstring tear, leaving the Boks without a specialist lock on the bench for Saturday's Nations Championship opener against England at Ellis Park.