Rugby Rivals - Sir John Kirwan & Victor Matfield

Rennie's New All Blacks & Rassie's Ruthless Springboks | Nations Championship Reaction

July 6, 2026·36 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Is this the new age of rugby? Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield react to the opening weekend of the inaugural Nations Championship. The All Blacks edged France 34-32 in a Christchurch thriller in Dave Rennie's first Test in charge, with Ardie Savea leading the side as captain and a new-look backline featuring Ruben Love. Meanwhile, the Springboks dismantled England 45-21, running in seven tries and reminding the world why they're champions. JK breaks down what Rennie's selections tell us about where this All Blacks team is heading, Victor explains why the Boks' depth is scarier than ever, and the boys debate the big one: is the gap between these two rivals growing or closing? New episodes of Rugby Rivals every week, thank you to Klipdrift for supporting the show!

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