Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has challenged his side to be more clinical when they face the All Blacks in the second Test of the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.
South Africa head into the encounter under pressure after surrendering a commanding position in last weekend’s first Test in Johannesburg, where the All Blacks produced a stunning comeback to claim a 33-16 victory.
The defeat has left the Springboks with little room for error. Another loss would hand New Zealand an unassailable lead in the series, while a South African victory would level the contest and keep the rivalry alive heading into the final Test.
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Erasmus believes the Springboks were in control for large periods of the opening encounter but failed to make their dominance count on the scoreboard.
“When we reviewed the game on Monday, we felt we were very dominant throughout up until about the 60-minute mark, and we were just a bit inaccurate in a few departments,” Erasmus said.
The Bok coach has taken responsibility for some of the decisions made in Johannesburg, insisting the defeat should not simply be placed on the players.
“The plan didn’t win the game for us, but it’s definitely also not the players who lost the game,” he said. “I’m taking responsibility for some of the decisions we made. We’re a group, but I think it’s a relevant point to explain why we lost, and some of it falls more on me than on the players to be honest.”
For Erasmus, the biggest priority this week is turning opportunities into points. The Springboks created several scoring chances in Johannesburg but were unable to finish them off, allowing the All Blacks to remain within striking distance before launching their late comeback.
“There were a handful of positives and negatives last week, but the main thing that let us down was that we created so many chances, but mistakes at crucial times cost us,” Erasmus said.
“We’ll put in a lot of work this week to ensure that we are sharp in that regard this weekend because if we had used even some of those chances, the result could have been completely different.”
The Springboks will also welcome back captain Siya Kolisi, who has recovered from a Grade Two hamstring tear suffered against Argentina three weeks ago. Erasmus confirmed that Kolisi has returned to full training and will lead the side against New Zealand.
“Siya will be starting and he will captain the team,” Erasmus confirmed.
Kolisi’s return adds experience and leadership to a South African pack that will need to match the All Blacks’ physicality at the breakdown and set-piece.
Erasmus is also aware of the pressure surrounding the fixture. With South Africa one match down, another defeat would end their hopes of winning the series.
I’m definitely nervous again,” he admitted. “We’re one game down, and if we don’t win this game, we can’t win the series, we can only draw it.”
Despite the pressure, Erasmus believes the Springboks have the experience to respond.
“We’ve been under this kind of pressure a lot, and hopefully we can turn things around this weekend.”
Saturday’s encounter will also carry additional significance for Pieter-Steph du Toit and Ox Nche, who are set to reach 100 and 50 Test caps respectively.
However, Erasmus insists the celebrations will have to wait until after the final whistle.
“Our main objective is to deliver on the field,” he said. “If we can do that, hopefully we will make it a memorable day for them.”
With the All Blacks expected to arrive in Cape Town full of confidence after their Johannesburg comeback, Erasmus knows his charges must maintain their intensity for the full 80 minutes.
“We know New Zealand will be charged up after winning last week, and they will want to build on that,” he said. “But the key for us will be to focus on our game and ensure that we are as effective as possible all around.”
The second Test kicks off at 5:10pm EAT on Saturday, with the Springboks looking to respond strongly and keep their Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series hopes alive.