Erasmus Reflects on the All Blacks Showdown: A Pivotal Week for Both Teams
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus underscored that the task of taking on New Zealand at Eden Park—where South Africa last celebrated a win against the hosts in 1937, with the All Blacks remaining unbeaten since 1994—has led to a “nervy” yet memorable week for both squads.
Erasmus also dismissed the notion that this match bears more weight for either team than their encounter in the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final in France, which saw the Boks emerge victorious 12-11, deeming such assertions a “slap in the face” to the other teams in the Rugby Championship.
The eagerly awaited match between South Africa and New Zealand is set for 09:05 (SA time) on Saturday, as part of the third round of the Rugby Championship.
The Bok coach acknowledged the crucial importance of this encounter in both teams’ pursuits for the title, which the Boks last secured in 2019.
“Competing against New Zealand in their own backyard is always a tough challenge, and Eden Park is bound to motivate both teams to give their utmost,” Erasmus stated.
“The players will certainly leave everything on the field this Saturday. There’s a fierce rivalry between our teams, and our shared history is extraordinary.”
Erasmus continued: “Taking on New Zealand on their home ground, especially knowing our status among the world’s best, is genuinely special, and we don’t need any further motivation for that.”
“This week will be intense for both teams.”
When queried if this match holds greater significance than the World Cup Final, Erasmus responded: “Characterizing this as our biggest game since then would be unfair to Australia and Argentina.”
“Just as the Final was critical for us, both teams find themselves in a similar scenario this week and next, with the aim of clinching the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.”
“We must also remember that during the World Cup Final, they had a player sent off [Sam Cane], while we received two yellow cards.”
The coach played down the emphasis on the Eden Park record: “The focus on the Eden Park record creates additional pressure, and while it adds some significance to the match, we should also bear in mind that we recently lost to Australia at Ellis Park, which is now behind us. Competing at Eden Park is a tremendous privilege, and we view it as an excellent opportunity.”
Discussing the timing of naming his squad, Erasmus mentioned that various factors led to his decision to announce it on Thursday rather than Tuesday.
“This is a challenging matchup for both teams, and they conduct thorough analyses,” he noted.
“Additionally, we’re unsure of the team they will field, combined with some injuries in our camp and a few players unavailable for selection this week, which introduces an element of unpredictability for both sides. By unveiling our lineup later, we believe it levels the playing field.”
The coach also addressed rumors about scrumhalf Faf de Klerk being called up as a substitute for hooker Bongi Mbonambi.
“Faf did not replace Bongi,” he clarified. “Morne van den Berg suffered a slight injury during training, but he performed well today, so he’s fit. Faf was called up as a precaution. His experience enhances the team significantly.”
“As for Bongi, he is dealing with a family illness but will join us as soon as possible. Fortunately, we have ample depth in that position with Malcom (Marx), Marnus (van der Merwe), and Jan-Hendrik (Wessels), who can also play at prop.”
Beyond the Bok camp, Erasmus congratulated the Springbok Women for making history by reaching the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals for the first time, following their 29-24 win against Italy on Sunday.
“I woke up at 02:30 (in New Zealand) to watch that match, and I want to applaud Swys (de Bruin) and his team for their achievements, as well as SA Rugby for their ongoing support of women’s rugby. We are extremely proud of them and wish them the best as they continue their tournament,” he said.
