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Rassie Erasmus is not entirely happy with his Springboks

Rassie Erasmus - PA

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus wasn’t entirely happy with his Springboks despite their win against Wales at Twickenham on Saturday.

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A strong second-half performance saw them overcome a narrow 14-13 halftime lead to secure a 41-13 victory.

Both teams had opportunities to score more points but were held back by strong defense and crucial errors.

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Rassie Erasmus explains the way forward

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Rassie Erasmus explains the way forward

The Springboks now go into the Castle Lager Incoming Series which kicks off in two weeks against Ireland and Portugal.

“It wasn’t a perfect performance,” said Erasmus. “We made a few errors and there were things that didn’t click, but there were others that did, so it was a good start.

“We have new coaches and had a few players making their debuts, so there were areas of the game that were not as good as we would have liked it to be, but there was certainly no lack of effort and intensity, and we realise it will take time for things together nicely.

“The important thing is that we achieved our goal and the players who made their debuts showed that they are capable at playing at this level.”

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“It was a tough match as it always is against Wales. I thought our scrums went well, but we didn’t dominate the collisions. We also conceded a try, but we scored five and we could have scored a more, but those are things we need to work on going forward.”

Erasmus added: “It was a beneficial game for us because some players were not eligible for selection and a guy like Jasper Wiese is still out (on suspension), while some of the Japanese players haven’t played in a while. But the young guys stepped up to the plate and played really well.”

Erasmus said the medical team would assess any injuries before flying to South Africa on Sunday night. They will also consider injuries in the Vodacom Bulls camp following their Vodacom United Rugby Championship final against Glasgow Warriors before finalizing their squad. The Springboks will arrive in South Africa on Monday.

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Comments

3 Comments
J
John 182 days ago

was at the game. Boks seemed really out of sync on offense but its to be expected

Ppl just looked rusty

J
Justin 185 days ago

And Rassie has a new bff. Tony Brown

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SK 10 hours ago
What is the future of rugby in 2025?

Set pieces are important and the way teams use them is a great indication of how they play the game. No team is showcasing their revolution more than the Springboks. This year they have mauled less and primarily in the attacking third. Otherwise they have tended to set like they are going to maul and then play around the corner or shove the ball out the back. They arent also hitting the crash ball carrier constantly but instead they are choosing to use their width or a big carrying forward in wider areas. While their maul is varied the scrum is still a blunt instrument winning penalties before the backs have a go. Some teams have chosen to blunt their set piece game for more control. The All Blacks are kicking more penalties and are using their powerful scrum as an attacking tool choosing that set piece as an attacking weapon. Their willingness to maul more and in different positions is also becoming more prominent. The French continue to play conservative rugby off the set piece using their big bruisers frequently. The set piece is used differently by different teams. Different teams play different ways and can be successful regardless. They can win games with little territory and possession or smash teams with plenty of both. The game of rugby is for all types and sizes and thats true in the modern era. I hope that administrators keep it that way and dont go further towards a Rugby League style situation. Some administrators are of the opinion that rugby is too slow and needs to be sped up. Why not rather empower teams to choose how they want to play and create a framework that favours neither size nor agility. That favours neither slow tempo play or rock n roll rugby. Create a game that favour both and challenge teams to execute their plans. If World Rugby can create a game like that then it will be the ultimate winner.

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