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
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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.
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 parallel between what his squad endured last weekend and what New Zealand now face heading into the third Test.
"You lose, and you go to No 2 in the world, and then next weekend you play against the No 1 team in the world," he said.
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"Dave's experienced; he will get the team calm, and he'll do it now with his first loss. They'll be under pressure. He'll feel what we felt last week."
The Bok coach was candid about how much Saturday's result meant, and how much it cost him emotionally in the build-up. "Of course I felt the pressure. The players will tell you I felt the pressure. I was nervous," he admitted. He was equally honest that the public's frustration was not lost on him either. "I 100% understand the pressure and why people were upset, because who wants to support a losing team?"
Erasmus: This Is Not the Same All Blacks
Despite the victory, Erasmus was quick to credit a significantly transformed New Zealand outfit. He noted that this All Blacks side bears little resemblance to the team South Africa dismantled 43-10 in Wellington last year under Scott Robertson.
"This is not the same New Zealand team we played last year," he said. "They attacked with width, got offloads away, are well coached and have got athletes who can beat you on a dime. A couple of more phases at the end and it could have been a draw."
He added that the entire squad acknowledged this in the changing room immediately after the final whistle.
"The one thing we immediately agreed in the changing room is that this is a really good New Zealand team."
The Springboks now travel to Soweto for the third and final Test of the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series at FNB Stadium next Saturday. Erasmus was firm that Saturday's result should not breed comfort in his squad.
"We must make sure we're not comfortable after this win and think we're all good again, because there's a lot of s**t things that we did," he said, making clear that the work is far from over.
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Source: Briefly News
