PremiumOpinionOpinion byGregor PaulRugby analyst·NZ Herald·27 Aug, 2026 06:32 PM6 mins to readRugby analyst and feature writer‌NZ Herald Sport Headlines | Stars captain heads offshore and Oli Welch and Ben Taylor advance to decider | Thursday, August 27, 2026. Video / NZ HeraldAll Blacks v Springboks, 3am SundayGregor Paul in Cape TownStories are rarely best told through the presentation of numbers, but the statistical narrative of the first test at Ellis Park is fairly illuminating and easy to follow. If a bit dry.

But the salient numbers are – the