Rassie Erasmus Admits Springboks Find Wallabies 'Tremendously Difficult' Ahead of Perth Test
- Rassie Erasmus reflected on the Springboks' 2024 Ellis Park collapse against Australia, where the Boks blew a 22-0 lead to lose 38-22
- The Springboks coach admitted his side has never taken Australia for granted and struggles to analyse their style of play
- Erasmus also revealed his personal history with Wallabies coach Les Kiss, dating back to his playing days in 2001
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has admitted that Australia remain one of the most perplexing opponents the team faces, ahead of Sunday's one-off Test against the Wallabies in Perth.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald ahead of the match, Erasmus pointed to last year's Ellis Park encounter as a stark reminder of the Wallabies' ability to turn a game on its head. The Boks had surged to a commanding 22-0 lead before conceding 38 unanswered points, ultimately losing 38-22. It was Australia's first win at the Johannesburg venue since 1963.
Erasmus admitted that South Africa became complacent after building a 22-point lead against Australia, with the Springboks believing they could afford to play a loose game. He said the Wallabies capitalised on that approach, with Max Jorgensen and his teammates exploiting gaps and punishing South Africa repeatedly, while suggesting Australia could have scored even more points in the comeback.
Boks cannot 'read' Australia
South Africa recovered to win the return fixture in Cape Town a week later, 30-22, but Erasmus stressed that the Boks approach every encounter with Australia cautiously. He said the difficulty in identifying a consistent pattern in the Wallabies' play makes them uniquely challenging to prepare for.
Erasmus said Australia remains a particularly difficult opponent for South Africa because the Wallabies cannot easily be defined by a single style of play. He stressed that the Springboks have enormous respect for Australia and pointed to their history of challenging South Africa, adding that the team never approaches a match believing it has the Wallabies figured out.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Erasmus rates Wallabies under Kiss
Erasmus also expressed admiration for the direction Australia have taken under new head coach Les Kiss, whose opening four Tests in charge produced two victories over Japan alongside a win and a draw against Argentina.
The two coaches share a long history. Kiss worked with the Springboks in 2001, the final year of Erasmus' Test career as a player, and the pair later crossed paths when Erasmus coached Munster during Kiss's time at Ulster.
"He brought the first defensive structures," Erasmus recalled.
"Of course we didn't have defensive structures in those days; it was all about just attacking. I know Les, we're good friends, I know him from his Ulster days, so I know him well."
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
