Rassie Erasmus Reacts to Cards Being Handed Out Throughout Springboks vs Ireland Clash
- Rassie Erasmus has commented on the cards being handed out by the referee during the Springboks' win over Ireland
- The South African rugby national team secured their first win over Ireland in Dublin since 2012
- Rugby fans also aired their opinions on what Erasmus said about the ref's officiating against Ireland
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has shared his thoughts on refereeing decisions during South Africa's resounding victory over Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, November 22, 2025.
Source: Getty Images
The Springboks have had their fair share of controversial decisions in their last two games, but England’s Matthew Carley delivered a solid performance in Dublin with the whistle, handling immense pressure as several crucial decisions came his way.
Erasmus on refereeing decisions against Ireland
Speaking on the wild nature of the match, with cards being shown throughout, Erasmus said such situations were not unusual for the Springboks, who had previously dealt with red cards in their victories over France and Italy in their last two matches before facing Ireland.
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Erasmus explained that the team had faced games where they had to grind out results despite red cards or concussions and described the recent match as very physical. He agreed with the 20-minute red card decision, noting it allowed another player to come onto the field.
He added that while the Springboks were dominant for much of the game, they struggled to capitalise when inside the 22-metre area, making the match hectic and challenging to manage with players going off and returning.
Source: Getty Images
Erasmus concluded that this is part of Test match rugby, where understanding and managing such situations is crucial.
Sharing more thoughts on the scrums, Malcolm Marx, who received his World Rugby award from former Springbok Lock Victor Matfield immediately after the match, described the encounter as tough. He admitted that having so many scrums was physically demanding on the neck, but acknowledged that Ireland fielded a strong side with a powerful pack.
Marx explained that the Springboks had to grind it out and apply maximum pressure to earn rewards from the scrums. He added that Ireland performed exceptionally well in the second half to withstand the pressure, conceding only a few penalties, and praised them as a quality side that demonstrated their strength on the field.
Here is what fans are saying about Erasmus's comments on the referee and the team's performance after the match.
Colleen Schapira wrote:
"I think it is time to make it compulsory for rugby forwards to wear scull caps to protect their ears and to a certain extent their heads."
Emlyn Olivier said:
"Boks are unmatched in world rugby when it comes to physically dominating the opposition, something that led to Ireland's poor discipline in the game."
Kiren Govender implied:
"The game was filled with a cacophony of errors. The Referee made errors and eventually tried to make up for them by giving soft penalties to Ireland for celebration of turnovers, etc. South Africa’s game was erratic and not worthy of praise. The kicking game is outrageously laughable. Decision making frustrating. Only glimpses of open play and their ability. Ireland’s profound, pompous attitude is what let them down. They tried to get away with the usual stuff ( emulated by watching too many old All Black games) but in this the referee saw the infringements and caught them out penalising them rightfully this put them off; so the old Irish team manners came out lose calm focus and make errors and then try and bully their way back but it didn’t work because they made more silly errors."
Skhumbuzo Nkambule shared:
"What the ref did was brilliant, not to give them another yellow, he just gave a penalty try."
Ryno De Villiers added:
"Thanks, Rassie and thanks to the team, as everybody did great. Not even one Bok played a bad game! I have never been more proud of a team than our current Boks in this game! You are making history as a team, and we love and respect you guys! The character you guys show is just amazing, and you guys can be proud! Now, just take the last game of the year seriously so you can show the world why we are the world champions. Thank god Ox was not on the field as they could not scrum against us without him. Just imagine that powerhouse Ox was also there then the scrums would have been even more hectic! 😃"
Kolisi appreciates his biggest supporter
Briefly News also reported that Kolisi took time to appreciate his biggest supporter after hitting a new milestone with the Springboks.
The Boks captain led his team to victory against France in Paris last weekend.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
