Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has warned his players against getting carried away after their hard-fought 33-26 victory over New Zealand in Cape Town, insisting that there is still plenty of work to be done ahead of the Third Test in Johannesburg.
South Africa bounced back strongly after suffering a 33-16 defeat to the All Blacks in the opening Test, levelling the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series at 1-1 with a determined display at DHL Stadium on Saturday.
The Springboks made an explosive start, crossing for a try inside the opening two minutes, and they maintained their advantage throughout the contest.
Although New Zealand scored four tries compared to South Africa’s three, the hosts were clinical with the boot, with Cheslin Kolbe converting four penalty opportunities while Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende and Siya Kolisi scored the Springboks’ tries and added three conversions.
Despite the victory, Erasmus believes the All Blacks demonstrated enough quality to show that South Africa will need to raise their performance another level when the two sides meet again.
“They are a brilliant team and there are definitely things we must fix,” said Erasmus.
The Springboks coach was particularly impressed by the improvements New Zealand have made and warned that the current All Blacks side is a significantly different proposition from the team South Africa faced last year.
“I don’t want to be technical about the edge defence, but they have really smart players, and they are two classes up from what they were last year.
“The one thing we immediately agreed in the changing room is that this is a really good New Zealand team. This week we did a lot of things much better, and I can tell you now that this is not the same New Zealand team we played last year.
“They attacked with width, they got offloads away, they’re really well coached and they’ve got athletes who can beat you on a dime. A couple of more phases at the end and it could have been a draw.”
Erasmus was also candid about the pressure surrounding the Springboks following their disappointing first-Test performance. The 33-16 loss had placed South Africa under considerable scrutiny, making Saturday’s response particularly important.
The coach admitted that he felt the weight of expectations heading into the second Test and stressed that losing one match does not necessarily define a team, but a prolonged run of poor results can quickly change the mood around a side.
“We 100% understand the pressure and why people are upset because no one wants to support a losing team,” said Erasmus.
“No one in South Africa wants to support anything that’s not working. A loss here and there doesn’t make you a losing team immediately, but it’s when you go on a losing run that the pressure comes on. But of course, I felt the pressure, I think the players will tell you I felt the pressure. I was nervous.
“We must make sure we’re not comfortable after this win and think we’re all good again because there were things we didn’t do well.”
The Springboks also made a late adjustment to their starting front row before kick-off. Erasmus explained that the decision was influenced by the change in weather conditions, with the forecast indicating that the pitch would be drier than initially expected.
“The closer we came to the game the weather was said to be dry, so we felt that a front row that was a little bit lighter would be better on a dry field,” he said.
ALSO READ:How the All Blacks outclassed the Springboks in the first test
The second Test also provided a memorable occasion for Pieter-Steph du Toit, who earned his 100th Test cap. The veteran forward later took over the captaincy after Siya Kolisi was replaced during the second half.
Du Toit reflected emotionally on reaching the milestone on home soil with his family in attendance.
“I started at Newlands and now to be here at Cape Town Stadium was very special for me; being able to have all my family here. I’m just very grateful for how things played out.”
With the series now locked at 1-1, the focus shifts to FNB Stadium at Nasrec in Johannesburg for the third Test on Saturday, September 5.
The encounter is scheduled to kick off at 18:10 EAT and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
South Africa will enter the contest with renewed confidence after their response in Cape Town, but Erasmus knows the All Blacks will be determined to strike back. For the Springboks, the message is simple: Saturday’s victory has restored parity, but it has not solved all their problems.
With the rivalry finely balanced, another intense battle awaits in Johannesburg.