Rassie Erasmus Shares What He Told Springboks at Halftime After Being a Man Down vs France

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has opened up on what he told his team at the halftime break during their 32-17 victory over France at Stade France on Saturday, November 8, 2025.

The South Africa rugby team had to play the second half with 14 men after losing Lood de Jager to a red card late in the first half.

De Jager's controversial red card late in the first half, forced Erasmus to make unexpected tactical adjustments to the lineup, with some of the veterans having to make way after the break.

Erasmus opens up on halftime talk

When asked what he said to the team at halftime after losing De Jager for the remainder of the match, Erasmus explained that he took very little credit for the halftime talk, as most of the planning and guidance came from the various coaches across different departments. He emphasised that while some had suggested the players were getting older, their experience made them wiser.

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Erasmus added that the team’s strong desire to win, combined with their prior experience playing in France in 2022 and 2023, as well as the careful planning by both the players and assistant coaches, was key to navigating the challenge.

The Springboks head coach also sent a message to South Africans who took time to watch the team despite the game being played late into the night.

“It was probably close to midnight at home (when the final whistle sounded), so thank you to the people who stayed up and watched the game, we play for them and for South Africa,” Erasmus sent a message across to South Africans.

Siya Kolisi, celebrating his 100th cap with a victory, also took a moment to praise his coach, noting that it was the coach’s 50th game in charge and that he had focused entirely on the team rather than himself.

Kolisi expressed his gratitude, saying the coach’s influence went beyond rugby, shaping the mindset of the team and how they view each other and the country. He added that the players learn a great deal from the coach’s words and sincerely appreciated all that he does for them.

Source: Briefly News