Rassie Erasmus Delivers Unexpected Verdict After Springboks Defeat All Blacks
- Rassie Erasmus has offered a striking assessment of the Springboks after their latest victory over New Zealand
- South Africa recovered from losing the opening Test to finish the series with 3 straight wins over their oldest rivals
- The Springbok coach also revealed when he finally felt his team had done enough to secure the Baltimore victory
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Rassie Erasmus has downplayed the significance of the Springboks’ 43-28 victory over the All Blacks, insisting the emphatic scoreline does not reflect the gap between the 2 sides.
South Africa completed a 3-1 victory in the inaugural Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday, 12 September 2026.
The result capped a remarkable turnaround after New Zealand won the opening Test at Ellis Park. The Springboks responded with victories in Cape Town and Soweto before finishing the series with another win in the United States.
Yet Erasmus believes the final result should not be interpreted as evidence that South Africa are comfortably ahead of New Zealand.
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“I wouldn’t say we are a better team,” Erasmus said after the match, according to IOL.
“At minute 60 I thought things were still in the balance.”
Springboks coach explains his surprising admission
South Africa appeared to be taking control after going into the interval with a 17-14 lead. Further scores, including tries from Malcolm Marx and Pieter-Steph du Toit, helped the Springboks create more breathing room after the restart.
The All Blacks, though, continued to apply pressure and managed to close the gap before South Africa pulled away again in the closing stages.
Erasmus said the result was far from settled for much of the contest. He pointed to the scoreboard as the ultimate measure of which team had done enough on the night.
“We came out the winners because we had more points on the board, and I think that’s probably the most important thing in most games,” he said.
The Springboks coach added that while teams may have broader objectives during a Test, the final outcome is ultimately determined by the points scored.
“Although you have different things that you’re trying to do — build your game, get your attack and defence better — it’s all about the scoreboard.”
He added:
“Up until the last 10 minutes I wasn’t sure if we were going to win.”
Reuters also reported that Erasmus felt the contest remained open until the closing stages, with the All Blacks threatening to make the finale uncomfortable for South Africa.
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Kurt-Lee Arendse delivers decisive moment
The turning point came when Kurt-Lee Arendse produced a powerful individual effort to restore breathing room for the Springboks. Erasmus was particularly impressed by the winger's contribution.
“When Kurt-Lee scored, that was a turning point. He started burning guys,” he said.
The coach also referenced Arendse’s difficult period following concussion issues before highlighting the impact he made in Baltimore.
“Sometimes someone like Cheslin Kolbe changes the game; the whole team did today, but I thought Kurt-Lee did some special things.”
Arendse’s try was followed by Cameron Hanekom’s late score, allowing South Africa to close out a 43-28 victory. The Springboks scored 6 tries to New Zealand’s 4.
The victory also strengthened South Africa’s position at the top of the World Rugby rankings. For Erasmus, though, the 3-1 series result is not evidence of a wide gulf.
“We definitely don’t think the margin between the 2 teams is that big,” he said.
All Blacks coach raises referee concerns after Springboks series win
Briefly News previously reported that New Zealand assistant coach Neil Barnes offered a different perspective after the 43-28 defeat. Barnes questioned several officiating decisions and explained why he felt penalties had affected the All Blacks’ rhythm during key periods of the match.
Barnes nevertheless acknowledged that South Africa deserved the victory, while suggesting New Zealand remain close to the world champions in the broader rivalry.
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Source: Briefly News
