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‘No disrespect’ to Wallabies: Rassie Erasmus previews All Blacks ‘challenge’

TJ Perenara of New Zealand (R) leads the haka during The Rugby Championship match between New Zealand All Blacks and Argentina at Eden Park on August 17, 2024 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Dave Rowland/Getty Images)

Following two wins over Australia, South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus is anticipating “a much tougher challenge” against New Zealand when the two sides go head-to-head for the first time since last year’s Rugby World Cup Final.

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World champions South Africa couldn’t have asked for a much better start in their pursuit of the prestigious Rugby Championship crown after they claimed two convincing wins over Australia in Brisbane and Perth.

The Springboks broke their long-lasting Brisbane hoodoo with a commanding 33-7 win over the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium last week before recording another 30-12 demolition of the same foe at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Saturday evening.

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Following the opening two rounds of the competition, the Springboks will return home to South Africa sitting in first place on The Rugby Championship ladder. Those two bonus points wins were quite stunning but it doesn’t get any easier for them moving forward.

New Zealand will soon fly to South Africa for two blockbuster Tests at Ellis Park and DHL Stadium. These two great rivals last met at Stade de France in the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final which the Springboks won 12-11 against a 14-man All Blacks outfit.

Coach Rassie Erasmus explained on Saturday that with the Wallabies currently going through a rebuilding phase under Joe Schmidt, the more-settled All Blacks – who have a relatively new head coach of their own – will be harder to beat.

“I’m going to say it’s another step up just because Joe Schmidt is new in the role here and he has to find his feet and get to know all the players and the way Australian rugby works. It takes some time,” Erasmus told reporters on Saturday evening.

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“With that answer, I say yes, it will be a much tougher challenge with no disrespect (to) Australia just because Australia is where they currently are in their rebuilding phase.

“The All Blacks at the moment people (have) started to write them off. I saw last week, (that) a lot of people had a lot of stuff to say and then (the All Blacks) knuckled down and said, ‘Let’s show you guys today’ and then they put proper points against Argentina.

Match Summary

4
Penalty Goals
2
0
Tries
4
0
Conversions
2
0
Drop Goals
0
89
Carries
96
3
Line Breaks
6
12
Turnovers Lost
15
4
Turnovers Won
3

“We play them at altitude and then in Cape Town where they are probably a bit comfortable, a lot of them enjoy it there. So, a massive, almost ‘mini-series’ for us against the All Blacks. So, yes, we’re in for a tough three weeks.”

But the first meeting between the Springboks and All Blacks is still just under two weeks away. All four Rugby Championship sides have a bye week coming up which gives them an opportunity to reflect, grow and prepare for the various challenges that await.

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For South Africa, Erasmus and the other coaches can take plenty of confidence from the two wins from vastly different starting sides. The Boks made 10 changes to their starting side for the Perth Test, with many branding them a ‘B team.’

Backrower Elrigh Louw laughed it off in an interview with RugbyPass about four days out from the Test by explaining how excited they were to show everyone “what a B team can do.” It was a golden opportunity for a new crop of players to make their mark in Springbok green.

It was a bit “nerve-wracking” during the first quarter of the Test as the goal-kicking boot of Noah Lolesio kept the Wallabies in the fight. But, in very wet conditions on the west coast of Australia, the Springboks showed their class as they pulled away.

Three second-half tries for South Africa, including a double from replacement hooker Malcolm Marx, ensured the visitors would claim back-to-back wins in Australia for the first time in quite some time.

“No, it was nervous, it was nervous for me till minute 70. We were on our own goal line and conceded two penalties in a row… but then Eben (Etzebeth) and the guys buckled down and said not another penalty,” Erasmus reflected.

“So no, not just the first half was nerve-wracking, the whole game was for me.

“It was close at half-time, I also thought if those tries were scored where Sacha (Feinberg-Mngomezulu) Just had to catch the ball, then it could have been a further lead.

“Then we always had security on the bench and that’s why we sometimes pick teams like that.”

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Comments

20 Comments
Y
You Know 229 days ago

If the All Blacks contest in their scrums and rucks they might get the upper hand on the boks. That's how the Boks win, with their pack and if you cut them out of the equation then you might win.


Scott & forward coach Ryan should concentrate on the pack and forward game.

B
Bull Shark 229 days ago

Since the season started, noises coming out of NZ has been around their pack. Their front row in particular.


Boks lineouts on their own throw have been below par this RC. NZ scrums have looked good. NZ maul defence looked terrible in the first test against the Argies. So far no clear winner on the pack front on either side in my opinion.


So the Boks will need to be sharp AF. Which is why I would start with Marx, Ox and Koch.


Backline, boks look good. But meaningless if the pack doesn’t dominate. Our scrumhalf/ flyhalf options are better at the moment. I suspect that the boks will have the upper hand at Ellis Park, but the ABs will bounce back, like Ireland did on the coast in Durban, in Cape Town.


The ABs shut Argentina down very effectively on Saturday. Not sure if the weather played a role in Argentina looking so off compared to the previous week.


You’d generally give the boks and NZ a game against each other a piece each year. I think this time around the boks will take both tests. But they’ll be closer than expected. Particularly the Cape Town test.

T
Toaster 229 days ago

Rassie blowing smoke already

He knows his squad has few weaknesses and go in as hot favourites

T
Terry24 229 days ago

THe most experienced SA team of all time was comprehensively dismantled by Ireland in the first half in Durban. Thoughts?

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Comments on RugbyPass

I
IkeaBoy 3 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”

Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”

So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…


“I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”

I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…

Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?


“I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”

So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?


“lol u really need to chill out”

Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?

171 Go to comments
f
fl 4 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca”

Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made. With Barcelona, Pep made the semi final four consecutive times - with City he’s managed only 3 in 8 years. This year they didn’t even make the round of 16.


To re-cap, you wrote that Pep “has gotten better with age. By every measure.” There are some measures that support what you’re saying, but the vast majority of the measures that you have highlighted actually show the opposite.


I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.


I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright. You’ve also not addressed Eddie Jones.


I agree wrt Schmidt. He would ideally be retained, but it wouldn’t work to have a remote head coach. He should definitely be hired as a consultant/analyst/selector though.


“Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.”

lol u really need to chill out lad. Kiss and Schmidt would both be great members of the coaching set up in 2025, but it would be ridiculous to bank on either to retain the head coach role until 2031.

171 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 5 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.


His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.


How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.


Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.


His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.


Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.


Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.


Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.

171 Go to comments
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