Rassie Erasmus Admits Springboks Are Nervous Ahead of Massive All Blacks Showdown at Ellis Park
- Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus openly admitted the pressure of Saturday's Rugby's Greatest Rivalry opener is weighing on the squad
- Erasmus warned that Dave Rennie's All Blacks will bring a faster, more breakdown-intensive game than South Africa has recently faced
- The Springbok coach said neither he nor Rennie can predict who will win Saturday's high-stakes encounter at Ellis Park
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SOUTH AFRICA — Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has publicly acknowledged that nerves have taken hold inside the South African camp ahead of Saturday's Rugby's Greatest Rivalry opener against the All Blacks at Ellis Park.
Speaking at the team announcement on Thursday, Erasmus was candid about the emotional weight the fixture carries for everyone involved, from the coaching staff to the players.
"As I'm sitting here, I'm nervous. He [Damian Willemse sitting next to him] is nervous, the whole team is nervous and I guess the supporters are nervous," Erasmus said as reported by SA Rugby Magazine.
"But I'm pretty sure it's the same on the other side too. We may look calm, we can speak in a way that it looks like we're 100% in control, but it's massive."
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All Blacks' high-tempo threat
Beyond the nerves, Erasmus also laid out the tactical challenge that Dave Rennie's New Zealand side will present. He described their playing style as significantly more aggressive and fast-paced than what South Africa encountered under the previous All Blacks coach, Scott Robertson.
"They say it all the time, so it's not a secret. They're going to play a fast, intense game and people must try to keep up with them, and that shows in the stats," Erasmus said.
"They have probably double the breakdowns, double the passes that they had in Razor's era and that's the way they want to play. They want to run you off your feet and make sure that they win their breakdown ball lightning quick."
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Springboks must impose their own style
Erasmus said stopping New Zealand’s fast-paced approach would only be one part of the challenge facing the Springboks. He explained that South Africa would also need to impose its own attacking style whenever it had possession.
The coach said there would be several challenges during the match and declined to predict which team would have the advantage. He acknowledged that neither he nor All Blacks coach Dave Rennie could confidently say who would win Saturday’s contest.
The match will open the renewed Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series between the Springboks and All Blacks. It will also be a landmark occasion for Damian de Allende, who is set to earn his 100th Test cap.
Nick Mallett raises All Blacks tactics warning
Briefly News also reported that former Springbok coach Nick Mallett had raised concerns over the All Blacks’ approach to defending driving mauls ahead of their Ellis Park clash with South Africa.
Mallett believes New Zealand are prepared to concede penalties rather than allow the Springboks to turn attacking mauls into tries. He called on match officials to be consistent when dealing with the tactic.
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Source: Briefly News
