Brilliant Boks charge into Paris

The Springboks were ruthless at Wembley as they demolished Japan 61–7 in a performance that was both clinical and explosive.

The Boks raced to a 26–0 lead at half-time and never took their foot off the gas. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Kurt-Lee Arendse both scored twice, while Jesse Kriel, Siya Kolisi, Wilco Louw and Grant Williams also crossed the whitewash. The Springbok scrum and maul were dominant, and the Japanese simply couldn’t match the physicality or pace. The only concern for the Boks was a serious ankle injury to Ox Nche, who has been ruled out of the rest of the tour. Rassie Erasmus will be pleased with the intensity and cohesion as the Boks head to Paris to face France.

In Chicago, the All Blacks silenced the Irish at Soldier Field with a convincing 26–13 win. Ireland started well and led briefly in the first half, but their momentum was shattered when Tadhg Beirne was sent off. From there, New Zealand shifted gears and took control through relentless carries and fast ball. Despite the red card, Ireland stayed in the fight for most of the match, but the All Blacks found their rhythm and finished strong. It was a statement victory from a side determined to bounce back after a patchy season.

At Twickenham, England overpowered a disjointed Australian side 25–7. Ben Earl set the tone early with a try after relentless forward pressure, while Alex Mitchell and Luke Cowan-Dickie added further scores. Australia’s only points came from an opportunistic intercept try by Harry Potter, but they never truly threatened. England’s bench, led by teenager Henry Pollock, brought real impact in the second half. Steve Borthwick’s men showed structure, depth, and a return to forward dominance, while Australia continue to search for combinations that work under pressure.

In Edinburgh, Scotland tore the USA to shreds in an 85–0 massacre. The Scots ran in 13 tries, with Darcy Graham grabbing a hat-trick to join Duhan van der Merwe as the joint-top try scorer in Scottish history. Van der Merwe himself scored twice on his 50th cap. Jamie Dobie also crossed three times, and Scotland showed no mercy despite rotating several key players. For the Eagles, it was a harsh reminder of the gulf in class at this level. Gregor Townsend will be thrilled with the performance as Scotland prepare to host the All Blacks next.

The Barbarians lit up Brentford in the opening half of their clash against the All Blacks XV, storming to a 19–0 lead thanks to three South African tries. Asenathi Ntlabakanye powered over from close range, Evan Roos finished a sweeping move, and Bongi Mbonambi drove over from a maul. But the second half belonged entirely to the Kiwi development side, who scored 33 unanswered points in a thrilling comeback. Caleb Tangitau was the pick of the backs, crossing twice, and the All Blacks XV tightened up their discipline and breakdown work to seize control. For the Baabaas, it was an entertaining but ultimately frustrating night after such a dominant start.