Rassie Erasmus Shares Who To Blame for Springboks’ Loss to All Blacks Ahead of Must Win Second Test
- Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus accepted personal responsibility after South Africa lost the opening Test in Johannesburg
- South Africa now face a must-win situation in Cape Town on Saturday, with the three-Test series on the line
- Siya Kolisi returns to the side while Pieter-Steph du Toit is set to earn his 100th cap in a high-stakes encounter
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Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has publicly accepted blame for the tactical decisions that contributed to South Africa's defeat in the opening Test, as the team prepares for a high-pressure second match in Cape Town on Saturday.
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Speaking ahead of the crucial encounter, Erasmus said the Springboks’ review of Monday’s Johannesburg defeat showed that they had controlled much of the match until around the 60-minute mark but were undone by a lack of accuracy in several areas.
Erasmus on who to blame for Springboks' loss
The coach also took responsibility for the loss, insisting that the players should not be blamed.
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He admitted that some of the tactical decisions made by the coaching staff did not produce the desired result and said he should shoulder a greater share of the responsibility for the defeat.
Series on the line in Cape Town
With South Africa 1-0 down in the three-Test series, Saturday’s clash in Cape Town has become a crucial encounter. Another defeat would put the series beyond the Springboks’ reach, meaning a draw would be the best result they could achieve from that point.
Rassie Erasmus openly admitted that he is feeling the pressure ahead of the weekend. He acknowledged that nerves are inevitable after losing the opening Test, particularly because another defeat would rule out a series victory. However, the Springboks coach stressed that his team has dealt with similar pressure on numerous occasions and will be hoping to respond strongly in Cape Town.
The match will also mark Siya Kolisi’s return to the starting line-up, while Pieter-Steph du Toit is set to earn his 100th Test cap. The Springboks will kick off at 17:10, with the match broadcast live on SuperSport.
Rassie Erasmus breaks silence on Springboks' loss
Briefly News also reported that Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus spoke candidly after his side suffered a heavy defeat to the All Blacks in the first Test of the Greatest Rivalry series
South Africa led 13-12 at half-time but were outscored five tries to one in the second half as New Zealand dominated the Ellis Park clash.
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Source: Briefly News
