Rassie Erasmus may have been tempted to pack his Springbok team with senior statesmen (and a more conservative approach), given the mission to Twickenham amounts to a final. Yet he's selected younger players and surrounded them with veterans. A lot to gain this Sat. rugby365.com/countries/so...

Nche back in the starting XV, and Williams should provide some impact from the bench. Mbonambi back in the 23 for the first time since the Test against Aus in Joburg.

It wasn't JUST an attacking masterclass in Durban – the Boks kicked from hand 40 times, and regathered 8 kicks! The 43-10 win in Wellington reveals a similar pattern. My analysis on the Boks' all-court game, and why the best may be yet to come www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025...

My attempt to describe 80 mad and glorious minutes at Kings Park. Kolbe's brain explosion (and redemption), PSDT on beast mode, an attack at its peak. But a kid named Sacha was the catalyst... For @dailymaverick.co.za www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025...

Sacha claims his second hat-trick of the year, and the record for the most points. Take a bow, one of the great all-round performances. Du Toit immense too. BP in the bag for the Boks, and well placed now to win the title. Playing some decent rugby too!

Bulls rack up nine tries and 53 points in the first game of the URC campaign. Defence needs work, but attack is looking very dangerous. Big ask for Leinster on the highveld next week, after losing 35-0 in CT...

Nico Janse van Rensburg. Top rugby IQ on display in that break and pass to set up Serfontein. Bulls putting on a show late in the game

On a growing list of things I didn't see coming this weekend: The Ospreys scoring four tries against the Bulls in Pretoria – in the first half! Still think Bulls are favourites in the second stanza, but it's been a pretty shaky start.

This year's Rugby Championship results pattern: Aus: WLWLL NZ: WLWLW SA: LWLW Arg: LWLW Boks or Pumas will become the first team in the 2025 tournament to win back-to-back. (Please don't let it be a draw).

Result in Auckland sees the All Blacks moving to the top of the Rugby Championship log (14 points) But if the Boks win in Durban, they will head into the final round at the top of the log (superior PD). BP could put them properly in charge. Destiny still in Boks' hands.

Both teams true to 2025 form. Wallabies growing stronger after a weak start, All Blacks losing their way after racing out the gates. Fascinating 2nd half in the offing. ABs should win, but Aus could deny them the BP and take some momentum into Perth.

What did we just see at Cape Town Stadium?! Stormers have beaten URC champs Leinster. Kept them tryless. Kept them pointless. Got the BP themselves. Cullen and Nienaber looked less than impressed as they walked past the media box at the end....

RC/URC overlap continues to compromise SA teams in the early stages of the club season. Franchises could be short-handed for the start of the Champs Cup, due to the 5-Test tour in Nov. A big picture piece on the 2025/26 club season for @dailymaverick.co.za www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025...

The ever-improving Springboks have found yet another gear in recent weeks, and if all goes to plan against Argentina, they may become first SA side in history to win back-to-back Rugby Championship titles. My column for @financialmailsa.bsky.social www.businesslive.co.za/fm/life/spor...

There’s nothing overly careful or conservative about Rassie Erasmus’ selections for the match in Durban. The Boks coach has picked a team that can beat Argentina AND claim the bonus point. My take: rugby365.com/countries/so...

Nice blend of youth and experience for the Test against Argentina in Durban – both in the starting XV and on the bench. Hooker and Moodie rewarded for their outstanding performances in Wellington. Morné van den Berg gets his first run (from the bench) since the Italy series

Another near-miss for the Bulls? Sharks to finish top four, Stormers to travel for the quarters, and Lions to miss the playoff cut again? I took a closer look at the SA franchises ahead of the new United Rugby Championship season, for @rugbypass.bsky.social www.rugbypass.com/plus/urc-sea...

Griquas beat Lions 27-25 in the Currie Cup final at Ellis Park to win their first domestic title since 1970! Massive win for Griquas against a URC franchise boasting most of their stars, and at Ellis Park no less. Lions blow it in last play. Again. Whitehead never gonna miss.

Rassie Erasmus has brought more youngsters through over the past two seasons. And yet, the Bok depth chart shows why Erasmus has more to do if he's going to balance the experience scales ahead of the 2027 RWC. Full analysis for @rugbypass.bsky.social www.rugbypass.com/plus/how-pro...

The NZ series was always going be a watershed in this RWC cycle. So where do the Boks stand, in terms of developing the next generation and balancing the scales ahead of 2027? I took a look at some ages, caps and projections to gain a better idea of how they're tracking 🧵

Following the big win in Wellington, and with talk of a new Springbok generation in the air, Harry Jones and MW Welman invited me on @lekkerrugbypod.bsky.social to chat about depth charts, the 2027 RWC squad and the importance of balance across the age profiles www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr8f...

Rassie isn’t coaching for today. He’s building a dynasty for 2027 and beyond. Harry & Jon Cardinelli unpack the genius behind the Springboks’ masterplan. @haribaldijones.bsky.social @joncardinelli.bsky.social youtu.be/xr8fAw0kAhg

Following the big win in Wellington, and with talk of a new Springbok generation in the air, Harry Jones and MW Welman invited me on @lekkerrugbypod.bsky.social to chat about depth charts, the 2027 RWC squad and the importance of balance across the age profiles www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr8f...

The NZ series was always going be a watershed in this RWC cycle. So where do the Boks stand, in terms of developing the next generation and balancing the scales ahead of 2027? I took a look at some ages, caps and projections to gain a better idea of how they're tracking 🧵

When a team wins a RWC final, beats the Lions or wins in NZ, the most important stat is the result. Yet there are other stats which cast a result in a more meaningful light. My column on why the cake and the cherry are significant, following the Boks' win in Welly rugby365.com/countries/so...

When a team wins a RWC final, beats the Lions or wins in NZ, the most important stat is the result. Yet there are other stats which cast a result in a more meaningful light. My column on why the cake and the cherry are significant, following the Boks' win in Welly rugby365.com/countries/so...

Black Ferns ran away with it in the second half, but the Springbok Women can be proud of the way they fired a few shots. Massive achievement for SA to qualify for the RWC quarter-finals for the first time in history. Promising signs for the future of SA women's rugby

Few would have expected the Springbok Women to live with the Black Ferns in this RWC QF. Yet the score is 10-10 at HT! 2nd half is the big Test – and always is when top teams meet developing nations. Interesting to see how the 7-1 boosts SA's cause in the latter stages

15-women maul by SA... to set up a second try. Outstanding tactics and execution again. 10-10 at half-time! Reason to dream

6 tries by the Boks in Wellington today, But also 31 kicks from hand – and a whopping 8 kicks regathered. Total Bok rugby at its best

Thought Boks managed the game well, after moving into the lead... Kolisi and PSDT as the leaders, Reinach, Libbok, Willemse as the game drivers. So many good performances across the board, but yet another reminder why Libbok is too good a player to cast aside🔥

Said it before the game, it was a big one for Rassie and his coaches after what happened at Eden Park. Fair to say the Bok coaching team made a statement today, too. Lots of improvements, and game plan spot on. Deserve all the plaudits.

Very worried before this game re the synergy of the backs – and there were a few errors early on. Not ideal to lose Kolbe and SFM to injuries But think changes helped Boks: Willemse to 15, Esterhuizen to 12, Snyman to 4 Wiese's return made a big difference to back row

What a performance by Willemse. That moment when he smashed through the defence with half of New Zealand on his back, and then thumped the Bok badge🔥 Such a statement by the player, but typified the Bok passion on the day. Credit to Rassie too, for backling DW

Boks didn't get everything right re execution, but tactics and intent were spot on. Bossed the gainline, secured the lineout and picked off NZ. Cleaned up the rucks. Kick-chase game was brilliant, with Hooker, Moodie, Kolbe et al capitalising on Libbok and Reinach's accuracy

Just the most magnificent response by the Boks in Wellington! Emphatic 33-point victory (first in NZ since 2018). BP win in the bag, and their Rugby Champs title hopes are well and truly alive. The Freedom Cup stays in South Africa. A statement win in every sense.

Frustrating errors by Boks in 1st half, especially in ABs 22. But an encouraging performance otherwise. Boks playing with more balance than expected. Kicking game working, attack getting round the ABs. Defence a bit ragged, but more linespeed. Very much in with a shout here

Actually that last try via a forward pass gives the Wallabies two BPs (tries and margin)... How costly/influential could that decision be in a tight race for the title?

Much better second half this week by Argentina – Wallabies very lucky to get a losing BP via that last try decision. The consistently inconsistent 2025 Rugby Championship continues to deliver... will the Boks keep the trend going with a win in Welly?

End to end game, plenty of ball in hand attack, but penalty goals (scoreboard pressure) are proving decisive in Sydney. Something in that...

Mad game in Sydney, linebreaks and offloads galore! Interesting to see who has the gas to go 80 after that first 40. Sums the game up, but Argentina should be more than 12 points up. Said it last week, but the way these teams play, a 12-point lead is not enough!

Fair to say that Razor and co won the coaching battle at Eden Park. The result sets up an important showdown at the Cake Tin. But has Rassie Erasmus made the right calls? Are we starting to see a few worrying trends? My @dailymaverick.co.za analysis www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025...

Some thoughts on the Bok selections for Wellington. When you dig in to the forwards, you see how things might work – although still not convinced tempo is the way to beat the ABs. Backline is surprisingly unbalanced. Massive drop in Test caps, compared to Auckland. rugby365.com/countries/ne...

Plenty of changes ahead of the do-or-die clash at the Cake Tin. Wiese returns at 8 as expected, but Rassie has made some big calls in the backs, with brand new midfield and back-three combinations, as well a different half-back pairing. Has kept the faith in the 5-3 split

Gutsy fightback by the Boks, and that losing BP may be crucial at the end of the Rugby Champs. But too many amateurish mistakes at crucial moments. Plenty of 22 entries with not much to show for it. Ultimately will regret those 2 early lapses that led to tries.

Thrilling finish at Eden Park. The record at the fortress is safe. Massive response by the All Blacks. Struck early, forced the Boks to chase the game. Vaa'i et al were superb around the lineout and tackle.

Such a pity Boks leaked those 2 early (rather soft) tries. Been a proper arm-wrestle for most of 1st half, with kick-chase/contest working. Conditions very challenging, but execution very poor in NZ half. Need some reward early in 2nd half to have any say in this contest

Boks leaked 17 points in the first quarter when they visited Auckland in 2023, and never quite recovered, despite a late push by the Bomb Squad. Can't let ABs get off to flyer today... need to control aerials, kickoffs, exits. Dictate the chaos, rather than react to it.

What Rassie's Boks have achieved v NZ often gets taken for granted. These Boks KNOW they can beat the ABs – because they've already done so at home, away, and in big matches on neutral soil. 🧵on the distinction between knowledge and hope, ahead of a monumental series in NZ

What Rassie's Boks have achieved v NZ often gets taken for granted. These Boks KNOW they can beat the ABs – because they've already done so at home, away, and in big matches on neutral soil. 🧵on the distinction between knowledge and hope, ahead of a monumental series in NZ