Rassie Erasmus Reacts As His Risk Paid Off in the Springboks' Win Over Scotland at Loftus Versfeld

• Rassie Erasmus said the win was a valuable learning exercise, but admitted the crowd was not entirely happy with the performance
• A much-changed Springbok side defeated Scotland 42-28 in the inaugural Nations Championship fixture at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday
• South Africa made 10 changes to the starting XV that beat England 45-21 a week earlier, fielding 12 players with fewer than 10 caps each

A heavily rotated Springbok side ground out a 42-28 victory over Scotland in the opening round of the Nations Championship at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, surviving a spirited fightback from the visitors to claim all the spoils.

South Africa ran in six tries to Scotland's four in a contest that swung repeatedly before the hosts pulled clear. The halftime score was 14-14, and Scotland continued to threaten throughout, but the Boks ultimately had too much in reserve.

The result keeps South Africa level with New Zealand at the top of the Southern Hemisphere conference, both sides holding a maximum of 10 log points, with the Springboks leading on points difference.

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10 Changes, 12 players under 10 caps

Head coach Rassie Erasmus had made 10 alterations to the starting line-up that had dismantled England 45-21 the previous weekend, a selection decision he described as a deliberate experiment rather than a gamble without purpose.

"We had 12 guys who each had less than 10 caps — half the team — so we knew cohesion was going to be a problem," Erasmus said.

"That you could see in the defence when we made some subs at the end. We learned a lot about some players — not that they are not good enough, but that there's a lot of work to be done."

South Africa burst out of the blocks with two tries inside two minutes in the first half to lead 14-0, only for Scotland to level matters before the break.

In the second half, the Boks scored three tries within an eight-minute window to open a 21-point cushion at 35-14, but Scotland responded with tries in quick succession before the Springboks closed the game out.

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Erasmus on crowd trust and necessary risk

Erasmus acknowledged that fielding such an inexperienced combination against a tier-one nation carried risk, but expressed confidence that supporters had come to understand the team's developmental approach.

"I don't think the crowd was happy at the end, but I think South Africa understands what we tried to do in this game," he said.

"In the past, I felt that if we made four changes, people would ask, 'What are you doing?' But I feel the interaction between the supporters and us, through the media, gives us a togetherness and people know what we are trying to do."

He added that the test of top-level opposition was precisely the environment the younger players needed.

"This is the test that some of the guys needed — not against a tier two nation, but against a tier one nation that's a really classy team."

Erasmus was candid about the stakes involved, noting:

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"If we lose, the knives will be out, but for me, the most important thing is learning about the players."

He closed on a philosophical note. "It's much nicer when you win, and you learn, than when you lose, and you learn," he said.

"There was a stage in 2018 when we were learning, but we were losing, but it was important to find out who can do it at this level and who needs some work."

Source: Briefly News