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Faf stars as Baa-Baas fall short — and North signs off in storybook fashion
Faf de Klerk captained the Barbarians to a narrow 33-31 loss to Wales, earning top marks despite looking spent after 25 minutes — his quick-tap instincts and fringe running the highlight of the Baa-Baas' attack. Vincent Koch also stood out in the scrum. The piece doubles as a lead-in to Rassie's comments on snubbed Springbok veterans.
Koch try not enough as Wales edge Faf's Barbarians at Twickenham
Vincent Koch scored for the Barbarians but Wales edged the Faf-led side in a tight contest at Twickenham.
Faf stars but Baa-Baas fall short as North bows out in style
Faf de Klerk was the standout with an 8-rating as Barbarians captain, driving their best moments despite looking spent early, but a string of individual errors — and too many promising positions squandered — cost the Baa-Baas in a 33-31 defeat. George North's two-try farewell off the bench was the emotional highlight.
Paulse backs Erasmus's youth gamble as Springboks build depth towards 2027
Breyton Paulse has praised Rassie Erasmus for fast-tracking Junior Springboks into the senior squad ahead of the Nations Championship, highlighting a cultural shift from his own playing days. The 46-man squad includes three uncapped U20 graduates and reflects a deliberate strategy to build depth without discarding experienced campaigners. Paulse singled out Stormers flanker Paul de Villiers as one to watch after an outstanding URC and Champions Cup season.
Paulse: Rassie's youth fast-track is unprecedented — and Paul de Villiers is the next Deon Fourie
Paulse argues Erasmus's youth fast-track reflects a real cultural shift in Bok selection, singles out Paul de Villiers as a Deon Fourie-type find, and suggests more squad surprises are coming through the Nations Championship.
Bok depth at an all-time high as 2027 planning takes shape
Opperman charts how Erasmus has layered 2024 and 2025 debutants over a still-intact veteran core, arguing South African rugby depth has never been stronger — and that the 2027 selection headache will be a good one to have.
Boks' World Cup pipeline: deeper than it looks
Opperman traces how Erasmus has been systematically building World Cup depth since 2023 — layering new talent without discarding proven stalwarts — and argues the Boks are on track to arrive at 2027 with unprecedented selection options.
Youngs wants Pollock to give Bok fans 'the Vs' at Ellis Park
Youngs is actively cheering for Pollock to rile up Bok supporters at Ellis Park, while Kitshoff admits a Pollock masterclass would be a PR nightmare — Erasmus, meanwhile, has separated the Instagram antics from the on-field ability he clearly rates.
The Best Of Aphelele Fassi In Black And White
One more look.
Fassi's Japan move leaves the Sharks with a genuine fullback headache
Fassi's confirmed Japan sabbatical strips the Sharks of their first-choice fullback for a season, but with Kunene and Giliomee also gone, Gavin Rich argues the Sharks are dangerously thin in the position — and questions whether teenage prospect Siyaya is ready to carry the load.
Fassi's Japan sabbatical exposes a fullback crisis brewing at the Sharks
Three fullbacks out in one off-season — Fassi to Japan, Kunene and Giliomee to the Bulls — leaves the Sharks dangerously thin at 15, with only a teenager and a few makeshift options to fill the void.
Fassi heads to Japan on sabbatical as Sharks confirm 2026/27 absence
Aphelele Fassi will join a Japanese Rugby League One club for the 2026/27 season on sabbatical, returning to the Sharks in July 2027 under the terms of his renewed contract.
Wiese's Barbarians masterclass deserves more noise than it's getting
Gavin Rich argues Wiese's Barbarians performance — dominant carries, defensive grunt, a lineout try — deserves the same attention being lavished on Pollock, and that a head-to-head on 4 July could quickly recalibrate English expectations.
In Rassie We Trust — and the Squad Depth to Back It Up
Rich argues the Barbarians game confirmed Springbok depth rather than exposed weakness, defends Erasmus's Van der Mescht omission as data-driven rather than arbitrary, and makes the case that — after everything Rassie has delivered — his selection calls deserve trust rather than social-media-driven second-guessing.
Wallabies prop Bell: South Africa has set the modern template for scrums and bench use
Wallabies loosehead Bell credits his Ulster season with exposing him to South African provincial scrums weekly, concluding that the Bomb Squad model and scrum-as-foundation approach has genuinely revolutionised how forward-dominant rugby is structured globally.
From a Grade 11 wake-up call to the Springbok squad: The making of Vusi Moyo
A profile built around Engelbrecht's recollections maps Moyo's development from a talented but unfocused schoolboy to a composed international prospect — one his former coach believes is destined for greatness.
In Rassie We Trust — and Squad Depth That Proves Why
Rich argues the Barbarians game confirmed Bok depth rather than revealed weakness, defends Erasmus's Nations Championship squad selections — particularly the Van der Mescht omission — and makes the case that Rassie's track record now warrants a default position of trust rather than scrutiny.
Bok depth is giving the coaches selection headaches — and England should be worried
Joubert and Rich argue Bok depth is at an unprecedented level, creating real selection dilemmas for the coaches — and a serious warning for England ahead of Ellis Park.
Hougaard: Du Preez was so good the coaches sat down when he spoke
Hougaard recalls du Preez commanding such tactical authority at the Bulls that coaches would defer to him in meetings — a fascinating glimpse into how that era's dominant teams actually functioned.
Boks regroup in Johannesburg ahead of Nations Championship opener against England
The Springboks wrap up a week of Johannesburg training on Thursday and reassemble Sunday for Test-week preparations ahead of their Nations Championship opener against England at Ellis Park on July 4.