Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus expressed his admiration for the team’s resilience after their 30-12 victory over Australia in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship on Saturday.
The win at Optus Stadium in Perth marked South Africa’s second consecutive bonus-point victory, solidifying their position at the top of the tournament standings.
Traditionally, the Springboks have struggled on Australian soil, but Saturday’s triumph was their third straight win Down Under, dating back to a 24-8 victory in Sydney two years ago.
Notably, it was also the first time since re-admission in 1992 that the Springboks have secured back-to-back victories in Australia.
Erasmus, who faced criticism for making 10 changes to his starting lineup, was pleased with how the team responded under challenging conditions, including severe weather warnings and the early loss of captain Salmaan Moerat due to a concussion.
“We are always pleased with a win, and to get two bonus-point wins over here and the fact that all 33 players on tour played was fantastic,” Erasmus said. “The weather was challenging, we lost our captain early on with concussion, and we made 10 changes to the starting team, but that didn’t disrupt the team, so overall it was a pleasing result.”
The Springboks delivered a dominant performance, scoring four tries while preventing the Wallabies from crossing the try line. Despite the impressive margin of victory, Erasmus acknowledged that the team left points on the field due to missed opportunities.
“There were a few more tries that we could have scored, so it could have been a bigger winning margin, but we are pleased with earning five points two weeks in a row. We would have just been happy with victories, so it was very rewarding, although it was not beautiful rugby out there because of the conditions,” Erasmus added.
Eben Etzebeth, who assumed the captaincy after Moerat’s departure, was equally satisfied with the team’s performance. He emphasized the importance of the collective effort in securing the two bonus-point wins and highlighted the depth within the squad.
“It was a good start to the Castle Lager Rugby Championship for us to get the two bonus-point wins, but we know facing the All Blacks next will be massive,” Etzebeth said. “It took a big squad effort in the last two weeks, and everyone deserved their chance to play. The guys who started laid a good foundation for the replacements, and it was great to see them perform at this level. It shows the depth we have in this squad.”
Looking ahead, Erasmus acknowledged the formidable challenge that awaits the Springboks as they prepare to face the All Blacks, who rebounded from a shock loss to Argentina with a 42-10 victory earlier on Saturday. The Springboks are set to face New Zealand in two crucial matches, one in Johannesburg and the other in Cape Town.
“We saw how New Zealand turned things around after last week’s result, so we know the challenge that awaits us – it will certainly require another step-up,” Erasmus noted. “With all due respect to Australia, they are in a rebuilding phase, and Joe Schmidt is also still finding his feet, so the next two Tests will be tougher. We are facing them at altitude in Johannesburg and then in Cape Town where they enjoy playing, so we are excited about what will be almost a mini-series against them.”
Erasmus also took the opportunity to thank the passionate Springbok supporters who turned out in force in Brisbane and Perth over the last two weeks. “We’d like to thank the supporters both in Brisbane and Perth. The support at training and during the games was fantastic, and we are pleased that we could thank them with these results.”
With two wins under their belt and momentum on their side, the Springboks will now turn their attention to the next phase of the Rugby Championship, eager to continue their winning streak against their toughest rivals, the All Blacks.
