Jon Cardinelli

What has SA Rugby been building since 2014 (thanks to Rassie)? 37/49 players invited to first Bok alignment camp represented SA at some level. I took a closer look at the progression in that system, and how latest changes could keep the Boks at No 1 www.rugbypass.com/plus/rassies...

Dream 1st session for the Proteas. Put into bat on a sunny day, Markram and Ackerman smash 140, SA go to lunch without loss. Could bat themselves into a dominant position if they cash in over the next 2/3 sessions. Aussies surprisingly flat for a team that chose to bowl

Mad game in Cape Town. Chaos even before the injuries. Stormers seeking right balance between ball speed and security (prob cos of breakdown threat). Put themselves under pressure, but did well to pull through. Scarlets gave it a fair crack. Joe Roberts coated in vaseline!

Bulls pushed hard by Ulster, who weren't really given a chance before kickoff. The Irish side probably deserved 2 points, but late Bosch pen means they have to settle for 1. Another 5 for the Bulls, but there's plenty to polish, in areas like the attack and breakdown.

Bavuma and co turned this Test around with the bat. But you have to credit SA bowlers for finishing the Aussies off on days 4 and 5... and with one bowler (Nortje) down! KG and Jansen (both 6 wickets in the game) were outstanding. Mulder (5) and Harmer (2) came to the party too

Opportunity knocks for the Sharks on tour over the next two weeks. Tough ask for the Lions in Scotland given all that's happened. Bulls, Stormers will face a different kind of pressure at home... 10 log points will set up their season nicely www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...

At one stage the Proteas were looking at 150. Just gone past 300... and 350 is now possible. Incredible partnership by Bavuma and Jansen to get SA back into the Test and series. Bavuma scores one of the great fightback tons. No one better for this SA side when chips are down

The Bulls and Stormers put on an attacking show, while a young Sharks side claimed a last-gasp win in Lyon. But it's hard to look past the Lions' spirited display in La Rochelle, even if it ended in defeat. My take on an emotional weekend for SA rugby. rugby365.com/tournaments/...

Heartbreaker for the Cheetahs in Bayonne... and it was a long-range try by Herschel Jantjies that made the difference in a 29-27 result. At least the Free Staters will come away with a losing BP

Lions go down fighting in La Rochelle. Difficult circumstances to say the least, but they made a statement on Champions Cup debut. Brutal physical contest, as you'd expect in a French rugby cauldron.

The Lions promised to do Hyron Andrews proud, and they've done exactly that in the first half in La Rochelle. Have thrown absolutely everything at the European giants, and against all odds, they're only down by 5 at HT. Gutsy, gutsy performance

Great start to the game by the Stormers, and at one stage it looked like it might be a one-sided blowout. Made to fight either side of HT, though... cards stalled their momentum. Good hustle to regain initiative and clinch the BP. Scrum again dominant, kicking game on point

Bulls thrash Stade by 36 points... and fair to say they left a few on the park. Sublime solo finishes by Jooste, Rudolph, Wessels et al, but the Bulls attacking shape is causing opposition defences problems. BP win in the bag – great start to the Bulls' Champs Cup campaign

Stunning win for a young Sharks side on the road. Definitely a different energy about this team this season, and they've carried their URC form through to the Challenge Cup. Older recruits (Van Zyl, Lewies, Roelofse) made an impact, but Siyaya, Bester and co outstanding

Bledisloe Cup 2026 aggregate score: NZ 93 Aus 40. All Blacks attack on fire in the first half in Sydney. Wallabies defence a perennial issue – missing 30 tackles over the course of the game; tackle completion rate just a touch over 70%.

Can the leading SA teams (read Bulls and Stormers) break the Champions Cup semi-final ceiling this season? My piece ahead of the first round for @dailymaverick.co.za www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...

Good BP win for the Sharks against Leinster. Champs came back in the third quarter, but the returning Boks made a big impact at the death. Leinster head back to Ireland with 3 log points from 2 matches.

Have wanted to write this piece for awhile about the Boks' record and how some critics and fans have started to lose perspective. Despite all they've achieved, Boks always seems to be 1 loss away from being denounced as a boring, old or overrated team. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...

Have wanted to write this piece for awhile about the Boks' record and how some critics and fans have started to lose perspective. Despite all they've achieved, Boks always seems to be 1 loss away from being denounced as a boring, old or overrated team. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...

After all Boks have achieved, we can't suddenly say Rassie is wrong to experiment with a RWC in mind. That said, a lack of balance across the 23 was exposed in Perth. Rassie got some answers re fringe players, but missed a chance to tick results box too rugby365.com/countries/so...

Comms chaos, Bok fightback, Aus discipline implosion and 4 yellows... the most bizarre Test in Perth! Want to say Aus deserved are winners, but that frantic finish will have given Les Kiss a few more grey hairs. Boks will regret their own mistakes and flat start.

Boks converted what few chances they created – but a largely disappointing first half. Aus made plenty of handling errors but still scored 3 tries. But is 24-17 a big enough lead, with the Bomb Squad to come? Big test for the Wallabies now, although they do have a 6-2 bench

First time that all 4 SA teams have won on the opening weekend of the URC. Maximum points for the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls – while Lions scalped the URC champs. Stormers and Bulls banked those points overseas. Performances need work, but nothing wrong with those results

Enjoyed the showcase of young talent in Durban – Giliomee, Moyo and co a joy to watch. Plenty of new Sharks recruits getting a chance, so synergy was always going to be an issue. Can't argue with 5 log points though, and JPP and company will view it as a promising start

Springbok Women made to fight for an historic 41-29 win in Italy. SA were on course for a comfortable victory (24-12 up at HT) before Italy hit back. Samboya's heroic tackle denied the hosts a crucial score in the closing stages. Welman try at the death clinched the result

Some bright moments for the Lions in a scrappy battle at Ellis Park. Cronjé and Mpeku offered plenty of impetus out wide, Pretorius et al made several crucial breakdown turnovers. Important win in the bag for the Lions, but Leinster fought hard for 2 BPs at the death.

Will Suaalii selection at wing influence Boks' kick strategy? Might be worth shifting point of (kick) attack. Pollard's had some success with those chips over midfield. 2nd half may be more physical than 1st, with both teams stacking their benches with heavy hitters in the pack

Been a lot a chat about the Haashim Pead saga, even though he's (currently) 3rd-string. 3rd/4th stringers have a key role to play across a marathon season. Going by the Stormers' player-management last term – Pead should get more game time in Cape Town www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...

Most of the Bok captaincy options are older (and starters). Could Esterhuizen, as a hybrid and Bomb Squad regular, develop into the team's "finishing captain" at the 2027 RWC? Plus a closer look at the intriguing back-row and backline combos for the showdown in Perth rugby365.com/countries/so...

The one-off between the Boks and the Wallabies may be more important than first thought... My latest for Rugby365 ahead of the clash in Perth next week. rugby365.com/countries/au...

Back on the Lekker Rugby Pod for a nuanced discussion about the Springboks' age profile and how they're tracking for the 2027 RWC. Come for the chart chat, stay for the Brannas tributes and Harry Jones' punt for the best "krappies" in Baltimore😅🦀 www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAgK...

The Springboks have beaten the All Blacks in a landmark series and anything they win between now and the start of the 2027 World Cup should be viewed as a bonus. A look at the big picture a year out from Australia – and the player management challenge. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...

Boks scored 43 points, 6 tries in record-breaking win v NZ last year. Boks scored 43 points, 6 tries v NZ in RGR decider on Sat. So much said about Bok approach in recent weeks, but Baltimore a timely reminder they can do it all – that's why they're No 1 rugby365.com/countries/ne...

All Blacks never stopped fighting. Jordan terrorised Bok defence throughout series, Vaa'i another standout. ABs ran out of gas against a stacked Bok side in the 4th Test – but can hold their heads high. Rennie has done a fantastic job and they will be a force at the 2027 RWC

Krappie MOM – fair call. Quick ruck ball, combative at the tackle, some outstanding breaks. KLA was special tonight. Picked a a great game to remind the world of what he can do on the counter. Etzebeth, PSDT, Wiese, Marx et al immense throughout series, and stood tall tonight

Frantic finish, but the Boks truly deserved that win. On another night, they would have given the ABs 50+ – but a winning margin of 15 points is still a hiding as well as a statement to clinch the series 3-1.

So many good things in 1st half. Counterattack by Willemse, Arendse outstanding, as was Wiese, Etzebeth, DDA carrying, and Hooker aerial contest. Poor conversion rate, though, with 2 scores from 6 22 entries.ABs made more of chances. Game management must be better in 2nd

Griquas go back to back in the Currie Cup. Well deserved for Pieter Bergh and co. George Whitehead's 50:22 in the dying moments was outstanding, but was fitting that the forwards won the game via a rampant maul. Brilliant set-piece performance in the final.

Boks have "only" used 30 players in 4 RGR Tests (used 43 in Nations Champs). But game mins comparison makes for interesting reading. Rassie's managed key players while building cohesion. Will want some more luck this week, though, re injuries and the 6-2 split rugby365.com/countries/ne...

Willemse straight in for Kolbe at 15, and a switch at 9, with the more experienced Reinach finishing the game in Baltimore. Very interesting to see who Rassie backs as the finishing XV in the last game of RGR... SFM (1st choice GK) may have to go to 15 and Willemse to 12.

Boks worked the problem and won the big moments. Veterans stood tall. but so did SFM, Hooker et al. Huge takeaways ahead of 2027 RWC: veterans still have it; young guns can deliver when stakes are highest My take after an epic "final" at the Calabash rugby365.com/countries/ne...

Rassie Erasmus spoke about game minutes and fatigue earlier this week – so I did a little digging. Average mins over past 6 weeks (Test player focus): Boks: 100 ABs: 183 Players with 200+ mins: Boks: 2 ABs: 10 More in my analysis for @dailymaverick www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...

Been a spicy few weeks, with the ABs accusing the Boks of illegal tactics. Going by Daan Human's recent comments, SA are taking the latest allegations personally. My @dailymaverick analysis on why the scrum battle is at the heart of the RGR culture war www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...

Interesting to hear Rassie talk about player management today. Looked at who's had 3-4 games since returning from injury... they seem to be hitting their stride. The most battle-ready Boks have been in this series – are they primed to peak in RGR3 and 4? rugby365.com/countries/ne...

The first two RGR Tests have served to highlight a few facts about the teams, and rugby’s world order. Rennie’s New Zealand have closed the gap between themselves and South Africa, but rumours of the Boks’ demise have been greatly exaggerated. My take: rugby365.com/countries/ne...

PSDT has been invaluable to the Boks, and injury setbacks have shaped his "there's no tomorrow" mindset. Have been fortunate to have a few chats with PSDT over the years, and by his own admission, it's his desire to do more that has set him apart. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...

My wrap of the schools season that was, plus the final power rankings for 2026. A few of the top dogs have dropped down from last year, but the overall standard is higher than ever, and the top 20 is absolutely stacked with quality First XVs. rugby365.com/schools/news...