Rassie Erasmus defends controversial innovation with accusation directed at Italy

South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus has gone on the offensive following his side’s antics at the weekend, accusing the Springboks’ opponents Italy of feeding in the scrum.

Rugby’s greatest innovator unveiled his latest brainchild on Saturday at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium during the kick-off, where fly-half Mannie Libbok intentionally kicked the ball short to Andre Esterhuizen to force a scrum (albeit Italy ball).

This latest idea has not been wholly popular, with the Springboks being accused of cheating online. Well Erasmus entered the storm that he has created online on Monday, posting on X a video of an Italian put-in at a scrum with this message: “I guess one can always argue what is against the spirit of the game! Some teams avoid scrums and others make sure they get scrums! Who’s wrong 🤷🏼‍♂️”

While this was a relatively vague message, the World Cup-winning boss was far more direct in response to someone hinting the Springboks had cheated.

I guess one can always argue what is against the spirit of the game!! Some teams avoid scrums and others make sure they get scrums! Who’s wrong 🤷🏼‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/SIa19d3DXm

— Johan Erasmus (@RassieRugby) July 14, 2025

“Totally agree like that scrum feed straight to the 8!” he wrote, suggesting Gonzalo Quesada’s side were, in fact, bending the laws to avoid scrummaging against his side.

This is not the first time Erasmus has found a loophole to play to his side’s strengths, and will not be the last (the scrum called by Damian Willemse following a mark in the World Cup quarter-final against France being another occasion), but this has not gone down well.

Quesada was clearly one of those who was not impressed, saying after the match: “I was really surprised, and I didn’t take it very well. I think they can beat us without resorting to these kinds of tactics.

“I will only say that I was stunned, because I think they didn’t need to do that to beat us or to show us anything, but it’s part of their story, and it doesn’t concern us to analyse it.”

Of course, this could have all been avoided had Italy been awarded a penalty instead, as Esterhuizen was about a metre offside when Libbok took the kick.