Rassie Erasmus Warns Dave Rennie’s All Blacks Are Under Pressure After Cape Town Loss
- South Africa beat New Zealand 33-26 in Cape Town on Saturday, handing Dave Rennie his first defeat as All Blacks coach
- Springboks reclaimed the world No 1 ranking after slipping to second following a loss at Ellis Park the week before
- Rassie Erasmus acknowledged the improved Kiwi side but warned his own squad against complacency ahead of the third Test
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is not done yet. After his side's 33-26 victory over New Zealand in Cape Town on Saturday, he made it clear that the All Blacks will now feel exactly what South Africa felt the week before — and he wants his players to remember that.
Source: Getty Images
The win at DHL Newlands restored the Springboks to the top of the world rankings, which they had surrendered following a defeat at Ellis Park. It also brought an abrupt end to Dave Rennie's eight-match unbeaten streak since the New Zealander took charge of the Kiwis in 2026.
Erasmus turns the pressure back on Rennie
Speaking after the match, Erasmus drew a direct comparison between the pressure his squad faced the previous weekend and the situation New Zealand now faces heading into the third Test.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
He explained that a defeat would see New Zealand drop to second in the world rankings before facing the world No. 1 side the following weekend. Erasmus added that experienced coach Dave Rennie would need to keep his players composed as they dealt with the pressure, just as he had done after experiencing his own first defeat.
The Springboks coach was also open about the emotional strain surrounding Saturday’s result. He admitted that he had felt the pressure and nerves going into the match, something his players could confirm.
Erasmus also acknowledged the frustration among supporters, saying he fully understood why fans were upset after seeing their team lose.
Erasmus: This is not the same All Blacks
Despite the win, Erasmus was quick to acknowledge the marked improvement in the New Zealand side. He pointed out that the current All Blacks team is vastly different from the outfit South Africa defeated 43-10 in Wellington last year under Scott Robertson.
Erasmus praised New Zealand’s attacking approach, their ability to play with width and create opportunities through offloads, while also highlighting the quality of their coaching and the individual ability within the squad. He felt the All Blacks were only a few more phases away from securing a draw.
The Springboks coach revealed that the team immediately recognised New Zealand’s quality during their post-match discussion in the changing room, with the squad agreeing that they had faced a very strong All Blacks side.
South Africa will now head to Soweto for the third and final Test of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series at FNB Stadium next Saturday. Erasmus warned his players against becoming complacent after the victory, stressing that the team still had several areas that needed improvement and that there was plenty of work left to do.
Rassie calls on Springbok fans to stay silent during Haka
Briefly News previously reported that Rassie Erasmus has asked Springbok supporters to remain silent during the All Blacks haka ahead of the second Test in Cape Town.
At Ellis Park the previous week, a crowd of 60,000 complied with a similar request, abandoning the traditional 'Olé' chant.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
