Rassie Erasmus Praises Springboks’ Gritty Comeback Win Against All Blacks
South Africa’s head coach, Rassie Erasmus, expressed relief and pride after the Springboks’ thrilling comeback victory over New Zealand at Ellis Park. Trailing by 10 points with just 10 minutes left, the Springboks managed to overturn the deficit, securing a 31-27 win in the Rugby Championship thanks to late tries from Kwagga Smith and Grant Williams.
The victory was hard-earned, as the Springboks led for only nine minutes of the match and scored fewer tries than Scott Robertson’s All Blacks. Reflecting on the game, Erasmus acknowledged the challenge his team faced against a dominant New Zealand side. “I think the guys did really well to pull off a victory against a New Zealand team that played really well and dominated the whole game,” said Erasmus.
He added, “At one point, they were three tries up and looking like they could secure five points. Our focus shifted to stopping them from getting the bonus point. New Zealand would have been deserving winners if they had held on.”
Erasmus also commended the performances of some of the Springboks’ less experienced players, including Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ben-Jason Dixon, and Ruan Nortje, who had only 18 caps combined. “We wanted to see how the newer players could handle the occasion and the pressure, and Aphelele Fassi came through with flying colors,” Erasmus noted. He also praised Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu but made it clear that established players like Handre Pollard and Manie Libbok remain key to the team’s future.
With the Springboks remaining undefeated in the competition after three rounds, Erasmus is now focused on the upcoming Test against the All Blacks in Cape Town. “This puts us in a good position in the Rugby Championship, but we don’t know what Australia and Argentina are going to do,” he said. “Winning the Castle Lager Rugby Championship is very important, and I would definitely love to win it, but we will definitely rotate players next week.”
Erasmus emphasized the need for continued focus, acknowledging that not everything went according to plan in the match. “Our focus is only on next week,” he concluded, underlining the importance of maintaining momentum as the Springboks aim to build on their success.
