Rugby's Greatest Rivalry: All Blacks vs Sharks
Sharks 0-54 All Blacks (Kings Park, Durban, August 11): The All Blacks produced a vastly improved performance from their Stormers opener, running in eight unanswered tries in wet conditions to shut out the Sharks 54-0. Luke Jacobson captained the side. Leading 14-0 at half-time as rain made handling difficult, the All Blacks cut loose in the second half with six more tries. Fehi Fineanganofo scored twice, with further tries from Damian McKenzie, Caleb Clarke, Jordie Barrett, Kyle Preston, Timoci Tavatavanawai and Sam Darry. Ruben Love kicked seven conversions and pinned an early 50/22 that set the tone. The tour's injury toll mounted significantly: scans confirmed Caleb Clarke, who had played all 80 minutes, had ruptured a shoulder tendon and would require surgery. Centre Billy Proctor had already been ruled out with a fractured shoulder blade from the Stormers match, and hooker George Bell with a calf injury in training. McKenzie twisted his ankle in the opening minutes, played on for 35 minutes and was withdrawn as a precaution. All three departures proved significant in the days that followed. As a direct result, Dave Rennie confirmed on Thursday August 13 that Richie Mo'unga had been called up, flying to Johannesburg and arriving Friday August 14.
The match will be remembered above all else for one extraordinary moment. Ma'a Nonu, 44 years old, holder of 103 All Blacks caps and a two-time Rugby World Cup winner, 11 years removed from his last Test appearance, delivered an extraordinary haka facing down his former team before coming on for a 20-minute cameo. He showed tremendous aggression on both sides of the ball, put in some big hits and carried forcefully.
LIPPY'S VIEW
With the Sharks playing an attacking strategy that I call "Kick and Pray," the All Blacks got a ton of much needed practice fielding high balls in very wet conditions. That alone was a benefit for them from this match. A comprehensive and impressive win, but it came at a cost. Caleb Clarke played all 80 minutes and then was told he had ruptured a shoulder tendon and was being sent home for surgery. Damian McKenzie's ankle added another concern. By the time the dust settled, the All Blacks had lost three players to injury before a single Test had been played. As for Ma'a Nonu, a two-time World Cup winner with 103 caps: I genuinely cannot think of anything quite like that in rugby. A man with that resume, 44 years old, delivering a haka to his former team. The respect the All Blacks showed him was a testament to the extraordinary man and player he is. Really special!
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry: All Blacks vs Bulls
Bulls 19-50 All Blacks (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, August 15): The All Blacks delivered their most complete tour performance, winning 50-19 at altitude with eight tries. Anton Segner was Man of the Match after an exceptional display at openside. Josh Moorby and Leroy Carter each scored twice, with captain Codie Taylor also crossing twice including one from a quick tap. The All Blacks led 24-0 at half-time, surviving an early Bulls onslaught in which Hanro Liebenberg was denied a try by TMO review. Beauden Barrett started at 15 with Josh Jacomb at 10. The set-piece was the best it has looked all tour, with Xavier Numia impressing at loosehead. The Bulls scored three second-half tries through Ruan Vermaak, Stravino Jacobs and Marcell Coetzee, with Wallace Sititi completing the All Blacks scoring late. The All Blacks now head into Test 1 with three provincial wins, the Lions match on August 25 still to come after the first Test.
LIPPY'S VIEW
Loftus Versfeld was surprisingly not sold out, which is disappointing given the chance for South African fans to watch the All Blacks against their local team. You would think they would snap up every ticket available. Early indiscipline from the All Blacks, with a Codie Taylor neck roll conceding an early penalty, threatened to derail the start, but they settled well after that.
The Dutch-German connection in this All Blacks team is something special. Fabian Holland and Anton Segner were both outstanding. Segner in particular was exceptional and thoroughly deserved his Man of the Match award. To see 6'8" Holland backtracking the length of the field with the speed of a back-rower was very impressive.
The All Blacks played a really expansive, running game that was a lot of fun to watch. That said, the Bulls number eight Jeandré Rudolph had a fantastic match, testing the All Blacks backrow a few times and showing real resolve. The second half was much more competitive than the first. I thought the game was over at half-time, but the Bulls came out with much more resolve and far fewer mistakes. Kudos to them for a significantly better second half. I think that the All Blacks team facing the Springboks next week will include only eight or nine of the players from this match in the Test team. So fair play to them for putting this Bulls team away so comprehensively. Another illustration of the extensive talent that the All Blacks have in their touring squad.
Wallabies vs Japan: Series Sweep in Townsville
Australia 56-17 Japan (Townsville, August 15): The Wallabies completed a 2-0 series sweep with a dominant 56-17 victory, their first three consecutive wins since 2024. Six of Australia's eight tries came from front-row forwards, with Taniela Tupou scoring a double. The occasion was lit up by the debut of Massimo De Lutiis, who became Wallaby number 1,000 when he came off the bench and scored a try. Ryan Lonergan and replacement Ben Donaldson combined to kick all eight conversions. The series against Japan was a promising start for new coach Les Kiss, with the real examination coming in two friendlies against Argentina in late August and early September.
LIPPY'S VIEW
Ryan Lonergan's kicking is turning out to be indispensable for the Wallabies. He is metronomic and takes enormous pressure off the team in tight moments. The Wallabies turned the screws in the second half and simply did not allow Japan any space or time. That second-half discipline and accuracy is what their new coach, Les Kiss, wants to see building.
Charlie Cale is a special player that I identified early in the Super Rugby season. He was injured after a brilliant start to the season, and now that he is in the Wallabies they are much stronger for it, even though he is playing at six rather than number eight as he did for the Brumbies. The big test of where the Wallabies actually are will come in the upcoming friendlies against Argentina in Argentina in late August and early September. That will tell us a lot more about where this Les Kiss era is heading.
Currie Cup: Round 5 Results
Griquas 55 – 21 Sharks XV
Currie Cup R5, Kimberley, Friday Aug 14. Griquas dominant at home. Eight tries.
Boland 38 – 29 Lions
Currie Cup R5, Friday Aug 14. Boland continue their impressive season with a bonus-point win.
Pumas 29 – 7 Stormers XXIII
Currie Cup R5, Saturday Aug 15. Pumas comfortable bonus-point win.
Cheetahs 62 – 52 Blue Bulls
Currie Cup R5, Loftus Versfeld, Sunday Aug 16. A remarkable 114-point thriller. Cheetahs run in nine tries. Blue Bulls score seven but fall short.
Griquas and Cheetahs locked together at the top: Griquas posted their fourth win from five matches with a dominant 55-21 display at Suzuki Stadium. The Cheetahs stayed right with them with a spectacular 62-52 bonus-point win over the Blue Bulls at Loftus, a match that produced 114 points and 16 tries. Boland's 38-29 win over the Lions was a notable upset, while the Pumas shut out the Stormers XXIII 29-7.
| Currie Cup Premier Division After Round 5 | P | W | L | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griquas | 5 | 4 | 1 | +73 | 21 |
| Cheetahs | 5 | 4 | 1 | +36 | 21 |
| Pumas | 5 | 3 | 2 | +4 | 17 |
| Boland | 5 | 3 | 2 | +49 | 16 |
| Lions | 5 | 2 | 3 | +23 | 13 |
| Stormers XXIII | 5 | 2 | 3 | -51 | 11 |
| Sharks XV | 5 | 2 | 3 | -55 | 10 |
| Blue Bulls | 5 | 0 | 5 | -79 | 4 |
NPC: Round 3 Results
North Harbour 47 – 7 Wellington
NPC R3, Thursday Aug 13. North Harbour's biggest win of the season. Wellington still winless.
Northland 42 – 0 Taranaki
NPC R3, Friday Aug 14. A statement shutout from Northland.
Canterbury 33 – 28 Bay of Plenty
NPC R3, Friday Aug 14. Canterbury make it three wins from three. Ranfurly Shield retained.
Hawke's Bay 44 – 31 Auckland
NPC R3, Friday Aug 14. Hawke's Bay cement top spot at Eden Park.
Otago 29 – 27 Manawatu
NPC R3, Saturday Aug 15. Otago edge a close contest in Palmerston North.
Southland 32 – 31 Waikato
NPC R3, Sunday Aug 16. Southland edge a one-point thriller for their first win of the season.
Tasman 50 – 35 Counties Manukau
NPC R3, Sunday Aug 16. Tasman back to winning ways with a bonus-point display.
LIPPY'S VIEW
Hawke's Bay's 44-31 win over Auckland at Eden Park was the result of the round, and a historic one: their first ever NPC win at Eden Park against Auckland in the 50-year history of the competition. The match was a cracker, six tries to five in a pulsating contest. Canterbury vs Bay of Plenty was another compelling match, with Canterbury holding on 33-28 in a hard-fought Ranfurly Shield defence. These are two sides playing some of the best provincial rugby in New Zealand right now.
| NPC Standings After Round 3 (Top 7 of 14) | P | W | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawke's Bay | 3 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| Canterbury | 3 | 3 | 0 | 14 |
| North Harbour | 3 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
| Northland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Tasman | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| Waikato | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| Otago | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
Around the Grounds: What the Pundits Are Saying
Test 1 preview: Springboks vs All Blacks at Ellis Park: The build-up to Saturday's first Test has dominated rugby media globally this week. The All Blacks have done everything right in the provincial tour: three wins, 142 points scored, improved set-piece and discipline in each successive match. The question now is whether those performances translate to Test level against a Springbok side that has won 11 consecutive Tests. Murray Mexted warned that "this is the most competitive environment the All Blacks will have faced in three years." The altitude factor at Ellis Park (1,753m) remains central historically.
Siya Kolisi fitness update: SA Rugby confirmed Kolisi has been named in the Springbok squad for Test 1 after positive scan results. Erasmus described his inclusion as "a massive boost" but confirmed he would be managed through training. If Kolisi misses any game time, the captaincy would likely pass to Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Damian McKenzie available for Test 1: The All Blacks confirmed McKenzie will be available after scans showed no structural damage from his ankle injury against the Sharks. A significant relief given his importance to the All Blacks' running game from fullback.
Ma'a Nonu's haka goes global: The footage of Nonu delivering his haka at Kings Park was viewed over 10 million times across social media in the 48 hours after the match. The Rugby Pod dedicated a full segment to his 20-minute cameo, with Justin Marshall saying: "I genuinely do not think I have ever seen anything like it. He was making tackles and breaking tackles like it was 2015. The respect you saw from both teams tells you everything."
Mo'unga joins the squad, Love to start Test 1: Mo'unga was called up as injury cover for Proctor and arrived in South Africa on Friday August 14. Multiple sources confirmed Ruben Love, who has impressed in his three previous Test starts, is expected to start at number 10 on Saturday at Ellis Park. Rennie has been clear that Love has earned the right to start this upcoming Saturday.
Cheika emerging as preferred Waratahs candidate: Michael Cheika has emerged as the preferred candidate to return as head coach of the NSW Waratahs for the 2027 season, following the departure of Dan McKellar. This potential homecoming aligns with the recent signings of Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps, both of whom played under Cheika during the 2014 Super Rugby title run. No formal appointment has been made and the NSW Waratahs have issued no public announcement, but Cheika is understood to be the frontrunner.
Looking Ahead
Saturday August 22: Rugby's Greatest Rivalry. TEST 1: Springboks vs All Blacks, Ellis Park, Johannesburg.
Tuesday August 25: Rugby's Greatest Rivalry. All Blacks vs Lions, Ellis Park, Johannesburg.
Friday August 21: Currie Cup Round 6. Pumas vs Griquas, Mbombela Stadium.
NPC Round 4 begins Thursday August 20.