Letters to the Editor: It's time to admit the Springboks pack is just better

Hooker Malcolm Marx has been an absolute wrecking ball for the Springboks in the first three tests. Photo / SmartFrame All Blacks face dilemma It is widely accepted that the team who clearly win the forward battle win the game. So it seemed to be in those first three tests in South Africa. One of the reasons for the losses put forward by your scribes is the short length of time Dave Rennie has been head coach. Yet Jason Ryan is the assistant coach in charge of the forwards. He had six very successful years with the Crusaders in that position and has now been with the All Blacks since 2022, including matches against the Springboks. I can't think of anyone more qualified to prepare our forwards for these matches against South Africa and yet we were clearly outplayed in every aspect of the forward battle. Maybe it is time to admit that the current South African pack, man for man, have the edge on us. We can then stop blaming past and current individuals in the management and coaching teams for our infrequent losses ... no doubt the pendulum will swing. Joe Silcock, Waihī Beach. Harry and Meghan's return No matter what reasons Prince Harry and Meghan gave for their return to the United Kingdom, one thing is certain – leopards do not change their spots. The timing is interesting considering that just last year, after visiting his father, Prince Harry said: 'I don't know how much longer my father has.' Thank goodness King Charles III has Queen Camilla by his side, and other loyal, strong family members and advisers to support and guide him, as he negotiates what will probably be a minefield. The King's just-released letter reinforces the boundaries set by the late Queen Elizabeth II regarding Prince Harry and Meghan's status as non-working royals and that as such, they should be treated as 'private citizens' with no public money spent on them. This shows he's prepared to move decisively when needed. Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth. A royal stink Prince Harry and Meghan remind you of the old saying about a bad smell: it won't go away. Why won't they just merge into the background? They claim to hate publicity and seek privacy but they court the press everywhere they go. The Americans had grown tired of them so they have returned to the UK where the scandal press love them and bingo, they are popular again. As another old saying goes, 'it's all about the money'. There must be another tell-all book due out soon. Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki. Kiwis drug-use I see wastewater testing shows a continuing increase in drug use. Would it be cynical or unkind of me to suggest that, however dire the present queues are for food and accommodation relief, (not too distant) future governments should be planning massive budget increases (not cuts) for those services. As well as future hospital and prison services, the negative effects of this increasing drug use surely just add to the problems. David Pickford, Whitianga. Up the Wahs! Our support at NRL finals time for the Warriors in the past has been full of hype and naive optimism and it has, to date, failed to produce results or to motivate our teams, who bought into the 'BS'. This time, we might opt instead for some more humble, quieter, cautious confidence ... and see if that works. We might be surprised by a different and more palatable outcome. Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay. Citizens-only for Super New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has announced a policy to reduce the national superannuation bill by limiting eligibility to New Zealand citizens only (September 7). He suggests this policy is about 'economic fairness' and 'putting New Zealanders first'. Where has he been? The New Zealand pension system has increasingly been burdened by older migrants. Our politicians came to the party, very late, in voting to increase the qualification period incrementally from 10 to 20 years. They were seemingly ignorant of the rapid immigration into New Zealand in recent decades. Now, Peters' election-year policy would pretend to address that issue. More likely, we would see more citizenship applications and no change in the pension burden or 'unfairness' he has finally identified. Why not directly address the real issue: older immigrants claiming pensions after very little contribution to New Zealand prior to qualification. Ross Jamieson, Wellington. State Highway 2 near the Ngaruroro River Bridge has since reopened.