Teams are scoring more tries and points, and the Boks are leading the way. Has the role of the kicker has diminished? Boks peaked in 2025 re tries, points but also recorded best GK %. Here's why the kicker remains essential and who could be the difference in the RGR Tests⬇️
Rassie is right to say Argentina are the focus... but two or more things can be true at the same time. Boks must get the job done, but also need answers re SFM, Lood, Eben re match fitness ahead of RGR. My team analysis, and why this game will be so intriguing rugby365.com/countries/ar...
Team Talk: Sacha, veterans must hit ground running
OPINION: Returning players will have everything to prove when the Springboks go searching for a crucial win against Argentina in Buenos Aires this Saturday.
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The Greatest Rivalry kicks off on Friday. Performances will be more important than results when the All Blacks play the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls and Lions. Rassie Erasmus himself will have an eye on some of the local players with a view to the RGR Tests. rugby365.com/countries/ne...
SA club stars have everything to gain against All Blacks
Rugby365 contributor Jon Cardinelli takes a closer look at the players that could feature for their franchises against the All Blacks.
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Rampant Gimmies side lost 1 game this season, when they were kept to 19 points. Kept to 25 today by a spirited Boishaai, but Gimmies' defence so infuential. Deserved 25-11 win, and some revenge for 2025 derby loss. And with a 2026 record of 15-1, Gimmies finish as best in SA
Gimmies score the 1st try in the Paarl derby... in the 30th minute! Boishaai have done well tactically, Meisenheimer kicking well for posts. But PB aren't going to win via kicks alone... need to score tries in the 2nd, cos Gimmies (best attack in SA) won't be contained for long
Long-serving Boishaai coach Sean Erasmus lifts the lid on the rivalry with Gimmies and why the annual Paarl derby is like nothing else in schools rugby. rugby365.com/schools/news...
Paarl legend on why local derby is so special
INTERVIEW: Long-serving Boishaai coach Sean Erasmus lifts the lid on the rivalry with Gimmies and why the annual Paarl derby is like nothing else in schools rugby.
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Paarl Gim could finish at the top of the national rankings while Boishaai will be gunning for another win in the big derby at Faure Street Stadium on Saturday. rugby365.com/schools/news...
Paarl derby to shape race for No.1 ranking
PREVIEW: Paarl Gim could finish at the top of the national rankings while Boishaai will be gunning for another win in the big derby at Faure Street Stadium on Saturday.
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Long-serving Boishaai coach Sean Erasmus lifts the lid on the rivalry with Gimmies and why the annual Paarl derby is like nothing else in schools rugby. rugby365.com/schools/news...
Paarl legend on why local derby is so special
INTERVIEW: Long-serving Boishaai coach Sean Erasmus lifts the lid on the rivalry with Gimmies and why the annual Paarl derby is like nothing else in schools rugby.
rugby365.com
Rassie Erasmus and Oom Daan have been building a front-row army. 30 different combos have been used since 2025! This is why the Boks are well equipped to go the distance in a 4-Test royal rumble against the All Blacks... And the scrum battle will shape the war for results⬇️
All Blacks will never be written off, but some numbers put the challenge into perspective: More than half the squad haven't played in SA in this RWC cycle. Big ask to adapt before the Tests – and 4-Test stretch will be a massive examination of squad depth rugby365.com/countries/ne...
Why Rennie's All Blacks face race against time in SA
OPINION: Rugby365 columnist Jon Cardinelli takes a closer look at the All Blacks' mammoth task in South Africa after Dave Rennie's squad announcement.
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Boks by far the most players used (44) in Nations Champs (67 overall including warm-ups). 33 used across starting XV in July... more than All Blacks used overall👀 Teams will take 33 to RWC, but Rassie is building a 40+ army to perform across 4-consecutive Tests v NZ next month
Boks have been good this July, and have kept their promise to experiment, but haven't really shown their tactical hand. Makes you wonder what they saving for the All Blacks – and it's worth reiterating that Sacha and others haven't played yet in 2026... rugby365.com/countries/so...
How Boks bossed July window without showing their hand
OPINION: The Springboks have won three Tests and bolstered their depth without showing their tactical hand ahead of the all-important series against the All Blacks, writes Jon Cardinelli.
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We're living in an era of unprecedented success for SA rugby – with the Boks and Junior Boks winning back-to-back world titles. Both have been remarkably consistent over the past year or so. Boks have won 11 in a row, Junior Boks unbeaten in 18. Margins tell a story, too.
✅Back-to-back JWC titles ✅U20 Rugby Championship title ✅18 games unbeaten Take a bow Kevin Foote, Dave Wessels and all in U20 set up. Junior Boks and Boks more aligned than ever, and Rassie Erasmus will work with these youngsters en route to 2031 RWC
Ahmed holds his nerve — Junior Boks retain world title against gallant France
Flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed slotted four pressure kicks to guide the Junior Boks to a 16-5 (halftime 6-0) win over France U20. The victory secures a second successive World Rugby Junior World Championship ti...
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Gritty performance by the Junior Boks in the final. Played the big moments better than the French. Scrum, maul, kicking game all superb. Ahmed's goal-kicking a massive factor. What a moment for SA rugby: the Boks and the Junior Boks are both back-to-back world champions
Tough conditions for the JWC final in Tbilisi, contributing to high error count. Junior Boks scrum dominating, lineout disrupting. Adams, Muller running hard in midfield. Knocking on the door, but French D standing firm, for now. All eyes on the Baby Bomb Squad in the 2nd half
Boks finish the 1st phase of Nations Championship with 3 wins and 15 points – and as the best team in the southern conference. Lots to sharpen going forward, but lots to take out of this block re development, performance. Future opponents will know that Boks can still improve.
Mixed bag by the Boks in that first half. So dominant at the scrum and maul, and Wales fighting for survival. Moyo made a promising start at 10, and some big carries by the forwards, but they will want more for their dominance and 22 entries in the second half.
Wallabies snap their six-game losing streak with an emphatic win against Italy in Perth. Crucial result for the Aussies in the context of their season – and the 2027 RWC in Aus. Tough ask for incoming coach Les Kiss, though... Aus rugby needs a proper rebuild
Italy record their third-straight loss in the Nations Championship, and remain rooted to last place in the northern conference. Bossed Scotland and England earlier this year, but haven't hit the same level since. Shock loss to Japan and heavy defeat in Aus will prompt questions.
Erasmus recently became the Boks' longest-serving head coach, and the numbers show why he is one of the greatest. That said, there are other numbers that highlight the extent of his contribution over the past 8 years – re titles, away wins, and how he changed SA rugby's image⬇️
Got to hand it to the All Blacks, they keep delivering the goods at Eden Park. Rennie should be happy with a 3/3 from return this July, but will know the ABs have work to do – around their forwards, defence and kicking game – before they head to SA next month.
Ireland less competitive than I thought they might be at Eden Park... First loss in seven games for Ireland, but they've lost all the big ones – NZ (twice), France, SA – over past 12 months, and by margins of 10+
All Blacks hammered the Ireland defence from everywhere in 1st half... Savea, Tuipulotu up the middle, Vaa'i on edges. NZ winning the gainline, and it's swaying the breakdown/quick ball battle. Jacobsen card slowed rather than stalled ABs' momentum... Ireland in trouble here
The Junior Boks will meet France in the JWC final on Saturday. Did well to punish a 14-man England. Have to sharpen up if they're going to down France, though. Can they emulate the Boks and go back-to-back? Opportunity knocks...
Junior Boks 8 points down at HT, but England will be down to (at least) 14 for the entire 2nd half. Been a nervy performance by SA so far. Struggling to control possession/territory, making too many errors when they do get the ball. How long before they deploy their 6-2 bench?
Boks are still backing debutants in groups, but Rassie's picks for Wales take balance into account across the combos. Upshot? Moyo, Williams, Van Heerden, Sadie have been given the best chance to succeed on debut, Boks as a whole aren't compromising quest for results. rugby365.com/countries/so...
Team Talk: Bok results have unlocked next level of development
OPINION: The Springboks' 10-Test winning streak has provided Rassie Erasmus with further room to experiment – with four uncapped players selected for the next clash against Wales.
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Moyo to start at 10 against Wales – Erasmus has picked 5 different starting 10s across this June-July block! Keen to see how Moyo and J Williams go alongside those senior backs. Sadie, Van Heerden also unleashed – means that Boks have capped five new Test players in this series
Making sense of the Springbok selections and the performance at Loftus, why more and more SA fans are buying into Rassie's management strategy, and why De Villiers and Horn should feature in some capacity against the All Blacks next month. rugby365.com/countries/so...
De Villiers, Horn nailed Loftus audition
OPINION: Rugby365 columnist Jon Cardinelli looks at two players who have ticked Rassie Erasmus's depth boxes over the last few weeks.
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Scotland's tactics were brilliant. Maul troubled SA in 1st half, short offloads worked a treat. Tuipulotu outstanding at gainline. But scoreboard tells a story... Scotland had the opportunity to win, but blew it. 11 22m entries, but scores – timing of misses was game costing