Stuff Rugby with Andy Capostagno

Toby Shapshak

Andy Capostagno has been talking and writing about South African rugby for more than three decades. He's been my emotional support person for rugby since I was lucky enough to meet him when I was unexpectedly made the sports editor of the Mail & Guardian newspaper many moons ago. Welcome to Stuff Rugby.

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20 episodes
Updated July 22

Episodes20

Newest first

July 22 · 21 min
Sacha, Kolisi, Etzebeth back after Springboks won all three July Tests
The Springboks won all three of their inaugural Nations Championships Tests, while blooding a number of promising youngsters. Now Rassie Erasmus is turning his attention to the All Blacks with a 43-man squad named ahead of the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Read more on Stuff.
July 7 · 18 min
Boks beat England to open Test season
Despite losing Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth on the morning of the inaugural Nations Championship Test to England, the Springboks still beat the old foe, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Coach Rassie Erasmus wasted no time in naming a team with 10 changes to the starting line-up for the second Test against Scotland. Read more on Stuff.
June 30 · 22 min
Springboks go full strength for England opening Test
Rassie Erasmus has named his strongest team for the opening England game of the new Nations Championship, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. With an eye to the future, there is plenty of youth in the Bomb Squad. Read more on Stuff.
June 23 · 32 min
Springboks off to winning start against Barbarians + Norton, Moyo selected
The Barbarians, coached by Scott Robertson in his first game since being fired as All Blacks coach, gave the Springboks a good run for their money, while u20 stars Riley Norton and Vusi Moyo have been elevated directly into the Boks squad, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Read more on Stuff.
June 16 · 25 min
Rassie picks a surprise at flyhalf and in the pack
Lions fullback Quan Horn has been picked at flyhalf in the first Springbok team of the year – against the Barbarians. It’s classic Rassie Erasmus Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Meanwhile, the South Africa A against Zimbabwe blends a mix of youth and experience. Read more on Stuff.
June 11 · 22 min
Rassie goes big with first Boks squad
With two matches to play on June 20th (Springboks against the Barbarians and SA A against Zimbabwe), Rassie Erasmus has named a 51-player squad for both games, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Read more on Stuff.
June 1 · 23 min
Bulls, Stormers fly SA flag in URC semifinals
The last thing any other URC team wanted to face in a semifinal are the two top South African sides, but that is what they’ve got this weekend, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Meanwhile Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is injured and potentially out for three months, but don’t panic, Cappy adds. We’ve got Mannie Libbok and Handre Pollard, in that order, next in line. Read more on Stuff.
May 28 · 28 min
Kolbe’s back home and Naas is coaching in America
Cheslin Kolbe is the latest high-profile Springbok to be lured back home, beefing up the Stormers, who are South Africa’s best prospects for the URC quarter-finals. So too are the Bulls but the Lions v Leinster is the game everyone will be watching. Meanwhile, legendary Bok Naas Botha has a couching gig in the States. Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak a heart-warming story about Naas in America. Read more on Stuff.
May 15 · 30 min
18-year-old Siyaya catches Rassie’s eye
With 18-year-old Zekhethelo Siyaya invited to the Springbok camps, coach Rassie Erasmus shows how far and wide he casts his eye, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. The alignment camp announced five weeks before the first Bok game is filled with talented youngsters. Read more on Stuff.
March 27 · 21 min
Great rugby in the six nations, pity about the defence
The best Six Nations yet, but eventual winners France had 50 points scored against them twice in a row, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Plucky Italy did well to beat England, while Scotland’s victories over England and France were just as memorable. Read more on Stuff.
Dec 10, 2025 · 24 min
Great year for the Springboks, Etzebeth and Jan-Hendrik not so much
This has been a triumphant year for the Springboks and coach Rassie Erasmus, who has reinvented the dour kompestamp Bokke into the world’s most exciting attack team, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Read more on Stuff. Would you like Stuff Rugby to do weekly updates on the URC, please let us know.
Nov 21, 2025 · 20 min
Ireland are worthy competitors for these Boks, who will still win.
A third number five lock in two weeks is enough maths for this podcast, as Rassie Erasmus fields his strongest side against Ireland, the one side that has been able to unlock the Springboks, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Read more on Stuff.
Nov 18, 2025 · 27 min
Another red card, another triumphant Bok performance
Digging deep two weeks in a row, the Springboks proved (again) that they can win with 14 men. If Rassie Erasmus wanted to build experience in pressure situations, these two intense Tests have been a boon, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Finally Ox Nché has been nominated for World Rugby’s player of the year. Will this the year for a front ranker? Read more on Stuff.
Nov 14, 2025 · 24 min
Is Handre Pollard really the third choice Springbok flyhalf? #StuffRugby
Against minnows Italy, coach Rassie Erasmus has given his dirt trackers a run…. Including double World Cup winning flyhalf Handre Pollard, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Read more on Stuff.
Nov 11, 2025 · 26 min
Centurion Siya and his brave Boks win Le Grudge in style #StuffRugby
Captain courageous Kolisi leads from the front – and the sidelines – as we saw in his 100th Test when Lood de Jager’s red card saw him sacrificed at half time. Along with Andre the Giant, the newest hybrid player, the 14-man Springboks turned Le Grudge match into a triumph for centurion Kolisi, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Read more on Stuff.
Nov 7, 2025 · 30 min
Super Siya's century – We'll always have Paris #StuffRugby
Siya Kolisa, the captain of South Africa, is running out for his 100th Test in coach Rassie Erasmus's 50th game in charge. After the extraordinary Springbok win in the 2023 World Cup quarter final (called the best rugby match ever by some) the losing team are calling this a “grudge match”, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Read more on Stuff.
Oct 22, 2025 · 28 min
Zac to the future: Boks newbies replace legends #StuffRugby
Rassie Erasmus bold selection of 21-year-old tighthead Zachary Porthen has set tongues wagging, even as the coach leaves legends at home. The changing of the guard is fully underway, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Read more on Stuff.
Oct 6, 2025 · 26 min
Springboks retain Rugby Champs. Obvs. #StuffRugby
Of course, the Boks won the Rugby Championship against Argentina at Twickenham, with the next World Cup side starting to take shape, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Read more on Stuff.
Sep 29, 2025 · 26 min
Is Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu the next best thing since sliced-bread? #StuffRugby
There is no doubt Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is a "generational” talent – after his record-setting 37-point individual score in a Test. Poor Argentina, who like both Australia and New Zealand, but had no answer to South Africa’s mercurial 23-year-old prodigy, who scored a hat-trick of tries and 37 points, Andy Capostagno tells Toby Shapshak. Read more on Stuff.
Sep 26, 2025 · 28 min
Is this the younger Springbok side emerging, as they take on Argentina in Durban? #StuffRugby
With two injury-enforced changes, the Springboks to face Argentina in Durban have a new look about them. Is this the beginning of the next World Cup defending team, Toby Shapshak asks Andy Capostagno. Read more on Stuff.