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Who will be replacing Ireland's ageing golden generation if they don't make RWC 2027
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'He will keep fighting': What Rassie Erasmus won't tolerate within the Springboks
By Ben Smith
Former Springboks hooker Schalk Brits has revealed what head coach Rassie Erasmus ‘hates’ to see within the Springboks environment.
The 2019 Rugby World Cup winner retired after triumph in Japan, but knows very well what it is like to play under Erasmus.
The Springboks completed a dominant 2025 season with a 24-13 win over Ireland in Dublin to complete an undefeated Autumn Nations Series across Europe.
They have won 23 Tests, only losing four across 2024 and 2025, and firmly remain the world’s number one ranked side at the halfway point of the Rugby World Cup cycle.
“We are mid-cycle, but, the reality is that in 2018, nobody thought we were going to win the World Cup either,” Brits told CoinPoker.
“Rassie and that coaching group – and the players themselves – will keep pushing the boundaries. The one thing Rassie hates is complacency and entitlement. He will keep fighting against those things that creep in when you are successful.
“He will remind the players quite frankly that it’s not just about winning a rugby match or a World Cup; it’s about giving hope to our country.
“When your ‘why’ is rightly defined, it makes everything a lot better because you understand the sacrifice required for the country.”
Brits said now the quest for the Springboks is to create history by becoming the only nation to win three consecutive World Cups in 2027.
Matching the All Blacks feat in 2023 with back-to-back wins has driven a new fan base for the Springboks, uniting more parts of the country.
“The last one was all about creating our first team to win back-to-back titles. Now, aiming for a third time… that is something that would always be remembered. Nobody has done three in a row,” he said.
“With all due respect, if you look at the game in South Africa: 1995 was predominantly white. Then you had 2007, with John Smit as captain – a great win in France.
“Then take Siya Kolisi, the first black captain in 2019: the diversity of the viewer base has grown exponentially.
“Now, every South African is supporting the Springboks. It’s a team they can be proud of.”
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