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The Rugby Bunker

The Rugby Bunker

Springboks or All Blacks - who goes 2-1 up at Soccer City?

Sep 4, 2026 · 27 min · 8 segments

Ben Coles (The Observer) is joined by New Zealand journalist Liam Napier (New Zealand Herald) ahead of the huge third Test at Soccer City, as the Springboks and All Blacks battle to go 2-1 in the…

Ben Coles (The Observer) is joined by New Zealand journalist Liam Napier (New Zealand Herald) ahead of the huge third Test at Soccer City, as the Springboks and All Blacks battle to go 2-1 in the Greatest Rivalry series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben Coles (The Observer) is joined by New Zealand journalist Liam Napier (New Zealand Herald) ahead of the huge third Test at Soccer City, as the Springboks and All Blacks battle to go 2-1 in the…

Speakers: Liam NapierGuestBen ColesHost

Top entities: Dave Rennie×14 South Africa×43 South Africa national rugby union team×11 Liam Napier×17 New Zealand×9

Welcome and South Africa Tour0:06 – 1:20

0:06

Hello, everybody.

0:07

Welcome back to the Rugby Bunker podcast.

0:09

I'm Ben Coles, the observer in the UK.

0:12

I'm joined by Liam Napier of the New Zealand Herald this week.

0:15

Liam, what week of this tour around South Africa are you on? I'm losing track.

Liam NapierGuest

0:21

Good to be back, mate.

Liam NapierGuest

0:23

Good to see you.

Liam NapierGuest

0:23

I think it's week six.

Liam NapierGuest

0:26

Probably aged 10 years, but we are on the final stretch and it's been a great ride, magic tour.

Liam NapierGuest

0:36

Great to have these old school tours back.

Liam NapierGuest

0:38

It's a really special sort of thing in rugby.

Liam NapierGuest

0:43

We haven't seen them for such a long time.

Liam NapierGuest

0:45

The first one in 30 years, so pretty privileged to be part of it.

0:49

Have you hit your steak slash braai limit yet, or is there still room for more before you leave South Africa?

Liam NapierGuest

0:57

There's always room for one more, but I've certainly indulged.

Liam NapierGuest

1:03

You have to branch out a little bit.

Liam NapierGuest

1:05

It can't be a daily diet because you may keel over, but you can see why they breed them big in South Africa.

1:16

Slightly relieved to hear you say that you haven't just been smashing the stakes in the prize every day.

Read the full transcript.

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Dave RenniePersonNew Zealand rugby union player
98%14 mentions
South AfricaCountryCountry in Southern Africa
95%43 mentions
South Africa national rugby union teamSports TeamRugby union team
92%11 mentions
Liam NapierPerson
89%17 mentions
New ZealandCountryCountry in Oceania
85%9 mentions
New Zealand national rugby union teamSports TeamRugby union team
82%36 mentions
Codie TaylorPersonNew Zealand rugby union player
79%5 mentions
Ben ColesPersonColumnist
76%12 mentions
Fabian HollandPersonDutch rugby union player
73%2 mentions
Ethan de GrootPersonNew Zealand rugby union player
69%3 mentions
Angus GardnerPersonAustralian rugby union referee
66%4 mentions
Rassie ErasmusPersonSouth African rugby union coach
63%3 mentions
BaltimoreCityCity in Maryland
60%5 mentions
Cape TownCityCapital of South Africa
56%6 mentions
The New Zealand HeraldPeriodicalNewspaper
53%2 mentions
Ellis Park StadiumEntityStadium in Johannesburg, South Africa
50%3 mentions
Asafo AumuaPersonNew Zealand rugby union player
47%2 mentions
Josh LordPersonNew Zealand rugby union player
44%3 mentions
XEntitySocial networking service
40%2 mentions
JohannesburgCityCity in South Africa
37%2 mentions
Peter LakaiPersonNew Zealand rugby union player
34%2 mentions
United KingdomCountryCountry in Europe
31%1 mention
SowetoCityTownship in South Africa
27%1 mention
Artificial intelligenceEntityProfessional field
24%1 mention
WalesCountryUK constituent country
21%3 mentions
CardiffCityCapital of Wales
18%1 mention
PretoriaCityCapital of South Africa
15%1 mention
Sam DarryPersonNew Zealand rugby union player
11%2 mentions
Will JordanPersonNew Zealand rugby union player
8%2 mentions
Damian McKenziePersonNew Zealand rugby union player
3%1 mention
Leroy CarterPersonNew Zealand rugby union player
3%1 mention

Set PiecesSports > Rugby > Game Tactics > Scrum Techniques
All BlacksSports > Rugby > International Rugby
RugbySports
Team StrategiesSports > Rugby > Match Analysis
SpringboksSports > Rugby > International Rugby > All Blacks
Player PerformanceSports > Rugby > Match Analysis > Team Strategies
Player DevelopmentSports > Rugby
Match AnalysisSports > Rugby
Experience LevelsSports > Rugby > Player Development > Youth Players
CoachingSports > Rugby
Scrum TechniquesSports > Rugby > Game Tactics
Dave RennieSports > Rugby > Coaching
International RugbySports > Rugby
Youth PlayersSports > Rugby > Player Development
Team SelectionSports > Rugby > Coaching > Dave Rennie
Sports
Game TacticsSports > Rugby

Welcome and South Africa Tour0:06 – 1:20

0:06

Hello, everybody.

0:07

Welcome back to the Rugby Bunker podcast.

0:09

I'm Ben Coles, the observer in the UK.

0:12

I'm joined by Liam Napier of the New Zealand Herald this week.

0:15

Liam, what week of this tour around South Africa are you on? I'm losing track.

Liam NapierGuest

0:21

Good to be back, mate.

Liam NapierGuest

0:23

Good to see you.

Liam NapierGuest

0:23

I think it's week six.

Liam NapierGuest

0:26

Probably aged 10 years, but we are on the final stretch and it's been a great ride, magic tour.

Liam NapierGuest

0:36

Great to have these old school tours back.

Liam NapierGuest

0:38

It's a really special sort of thing in rugby.

Liam NapierGuest

0:43

We haven't seen them for such a long time.

Liam NapierGuest

0:45

The first one in 30 years, so pretty privileged to be part of it.

0:49

Have you hit your steak slash braai limit yet, or is there still room for more before you leave South Africa?

Liam NapierGuest

0:57

There's always room for one more, but I've certainly indulged.

Liam NapierGuest

1:03

You have to branch out a little bit.

Liam NapierGuest

1:05

It can't be a daily diet because you may keel over, but you can see why they breed them big in South Africa.

1:16

Slightly relieved to hear you say that you haven't just been smashing the stakes in the prize every day.