Rassie Erasmus Opens Up on What Springboks Need to Do Against All Blacks This Weekend

• Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus addressed the media after naming his squad for the first Test against the All Blacks
• The Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series opens at Ellis Park before moving to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Baltimore, USA'
• Erasmus drew on lessons from the British and Irish Lions series and World Cup pool matches to explain his approach

Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has acknowledged the weight of Saturday's series opener against New Zealand at Ellis Park, while urging patience over the four-Test Rugby's Greatest Rivalry campaign.

Erasmus spoke to reporters on Thursday following the announcement of his matchday squad, addressing both the opportunity and the broader picture of the series ahead.

**Ellis Park Opener Sets the Tone**

"The pressure is certainly on," Erasmus said. "It's a massive series, and how we start is very important."

Despite emphasising the significance of a strong opening performance, he was careful to contextualise the first Test within the wider series. Past experience, he said, has shaped how he approaches multi-match campaigns against elite opposition.

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"We've learned from the British & Irish Lions series, we've learned from World Cup pool matches that are lost early, it's only going to be determined in game three," Erasmus said.

**Four-Test Series Stretches Across Two Continents**

The series begins in Johannesburg at Ellis Park before travelling to Cape Town Stadium and FNB Stadium for the second and third Tests respectively. The final encounter will take place in Baltimore, United States, marking a rare intercontinental conclusion to one of rugby's most celebrated rivalries.

With three home Tests before the Baltimore finale, South Africa will be expected to use familiar conditions and crowd support to their advantage in the early rounds of the campaign.

Source: Briefly News