Rassie Erasmus admits he is nervous about the Springboks’ blockbuster series against the All Blacks — but says both teams will go “full out” to land the first blow on Saturday.
With the opening Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry at Ellis Park (kick-off 5pm) looming, Erasmus said there was no question of the Boks taking their foot off the accelerator, despite knowing the series will not be decided in Johannesburg.
“There is not a management member, a team member, coaching staff, physio or medic who doesn’t want us to win the first Test match,” Erasmus said. “So, we will definitely try our utmost to win it.”
The Bok coach knows, however, that an opening defeat would not necessarily be fatal.
The Boks lost the first Test of the 2021 British and Irish Lions series before winning the next two, whilst they also recovered from a defeat by New Zealand in the pool stage of the 2019 World Cup to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.
The same happened in the 2023 World Cup when they lost a pool game to Ireland.
“The fate of this series is only going to be determined in game three,” Erasmus predicted.
“You can lose the first one and win the next two. You can lose the first one and win the second, and then the third might not even be the decider. It could well come down to the fourth Test in Baltimore.
“There will be time to come back in the series, but it would always be better to win the first one. Both teams will go full out for that.”
Erasmus is also acutely aware that Saturday’s Test is only the beginning of a physically brutal campaign and believes player management could become a decisive factor. The Boks have deliberately kept their players fresher than their New Zealand counterparts in the build-up.
“Over the last six weeks, New Zealand have averaged 200 minutes per player that they selected,” he said. “We averaged about 130 minutes per player.
“You can’t really look past the last six weeks, because what you played before that is not reflective of how match-fit a player is. We are concentrating on keeping our guys fresh.”
Erasmus expects attrition to play a major role as the series progresses.
“I’m 100% sure that by round three, which could be the most important match, there will be another six or seven injuries in each camp,” he said. “That is why managing players’ game time is very important.”
But whilst the series is a marathon, Erasmus knows the psychological value of an early advantage.
“If you can hit the first blow in the first Test, it is huge,” he said.
The Bok coach was also asked whether the All Blacks are the team South Africa most want to beat in world rugby. His answer reflected both the history between the two countries and his own experience of feeling overlooked when the Boks were rebuilding.
“I will answer this question correctly, because I’m always very mindful of respecting other countries,” Erasmus said.
“When we were No 6 in the world, and the All Blacks, England and Ireland were talking about the big teams in the world, we did not get a mention. It wasn’t a nice feeling when we were six in the world, and people didn’t even talk about us.”
But there was no disguising what the All Blacks rivalry means to him — or the pressure that comes with it.
“I would be lying if I told you this build-up is not nerve-wracking,” Erasmus said. “As I’m sitting here, I’m nervous. I’m not going to pretend I’m not nervous.
“The team are nervous. I guess the supporters are nervous. But I’m pretty sure it’s the same on the other side too. We can look calm. We can speak in a way that it looks like we are 100% in control. But no, it’s massive.”
And, in a rivalry that needs little embellishment, Erasmus conceded that the Springboks-All Blacks contest sits at the very top of the rugby pile.
“So if it isn’t the greatest rivalry, then it’s by a small margin,” he said. “It’s a very emotional, proud thing to be part of.”