Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus didn’t mince his words about the 33-16 loss to the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday, saying his team had “got a hiding” from their old foes.
The All Blacks gained the advantage in the four-game Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series with the win, which was embarrassing for the Springboks, especially as they were dominant for 55 minutes, and then fell apart in the last quarter, conceding two yellow cards in the process and eventually a very big scoreline.
Erasmus pointed to the scrum in the 55th minute, after the All Blacks had been conceding penalty after penalty in the set-piece, when Gerhard Steenekamp walked around and was penalised as the key turning point in the game.
“Perhaps we should have taken the three points in front of the posts. We would have been level then and we had dominance in the scrums,” Erasmus said.
SCOREBOARD IS UGLY
“The scoreboard is ugly - it isn’t lekker to lose like that and we were over the line with a maul try and we lost the ball, and there were a few small things that we didn't do well in the first 60 where were were controlling territory and possession. But we didn’t get the points when we needed to, and they were clinical when they got their opportunities.”
Erasmus said he understood if the fans weren’t happy with the performance, but that the Boks would be working hard to set things straight in the second test next weekend in Cape Town.
“Most teams lose a game or two here and there and if we lose, it is natural for our fans to be unhappy. We understand it was a terrible performance on the scoreboard, but the scoreboard is what counts. We can talk a lot about a lot of things, but we know we need to be better.
“I’ve been involved in the Springboks now for 106 games, and we have been in a position like this before. We need to find a way back now against a very good New Zealand team. We got a hiding today, so there will naturally be critics out there, and we will lay low, not read the papers and work hard to make sure we come back.”
Reaction from Rassie Erasmus: “We didn’t play well. Against a class team like New Zealand, if you don’t convert, they give you a proper hiding” - more here: https://t.co/k8UCrM9uos 🗣️#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/b7RMyvCI8A
— Springboks (@Springboks) August 22, 2026
Erasmus pointed to the Lions series and the 2019 World Cup where the Boks had lost key games, but then came back to win both as examples of how the Boks can bounce back.
BOKS WILL REGROUP
“We should have won the game because we were in a position to win the game, but it doesn’t help because they won. We can point fingers, but we need to point them at ourselves, and keep our mouths shut so that we can come back next Saturday.”
Erasmus said it may look “catastrophic” but the Boks had been in these positions before.
“We have been in catastrophic positions before - the Lions, the first pool game in 2109 and we have won from there. We now need to win three games in a row to win the series, and them winning the first one puts them in an advantageous position.
“There is still a way out and that is to win three games on the trot.”
RENNIE HAPPY WITH WIN
New Zealand coach Dave Rennie said that while he was proud of the win, he was wary of the backlash that was coming in the second test in Cape Town.
“Nothing in that game was easy, and while the scoreline may sound convincing it was an absolute arm wrestle that could have gone any way. The boys defended and defended and when we got our opportunities, we were clinical. I was really proud of the massive effort from the players. It was a great result for us, but we are wary of the response we are going to get next week.
Rennie said he was happy with the scrum penalty in the 55th minute which changed the complexion of the game, but said he would be reviewing the other scrums that the All Blacks were penalised in.
“When you get penalised every team does question if they are walking around, and they were eventually penalised for it. It was the key moment of the game, and a great moment for George Bower who came off the bench. I was really happy with the effort up front and the scrums were very solid for the last 30.”
For the Boks, Cheslin Kolbe limped off with cramps, while Ethan de Groot came off and will be assessed for the All Blacks, although Rennie did say he was ill during the week and almost didn’t play.
The second of four tests takes place next Saturday in Cape Town.
Advantage NZ after the first Test in #RugbysGreatestRivalry. Well played @AllBlacks, see you next week in Cape Town 🤝
— Springboks (@Springboks) August 22, 2026
Match report: https://t.co/fUr8qDtRlp #Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/NP36yjEXjP