Erasmus attributes Springbok victory to superb individual performances
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus praised his team's performance against Australia on Saturday, but warned that they would have to play much better to beat the All Blacks next weekend.
SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, lauded a number of players for superb individual performances in the Springboks’ 35-17 win over Australia in Johannesburg, but said the team will have to improve as they build towards the Rugby World Cup.
The Boks scored five tries to two, with Herschel Jantjies (scrumhalf) grabbing two on debut as South Africa recorded a full-house of five Castle Lager Rugby Championship log points at Emirates Airline Park.
Apart from Herschel Jantjies’ brace, Lood de Jager (lock), Sbu Nkosi (right wing) and Cobus Reinach (replacement scrumhalf) also scored tries, while Elton Jantjies (flyhalf) converted all five tries.
“A few guys certainly put their hands up for Rugby World Cup selection and although there was some rustiness and all our combinations weren’t settled, we are still happy with the win,” said Erasmus.
Erasmus lauded the performances of Herschel Jantjies and Reinach, as well as Frans Steyn, Rynhardt Elstadt, Marcell Coetzee and Francois Louw, all of whom (but Jantjies) joined the squad from overseas and slotted in with ease.
“Last year Embrose Papier and Ivan van Zyl did very well at stages, while we also have Faf (de Klerk) and Louis Schreuder, so it’s good to have all these options available. Now we have to consolidate and make sure we get the right 9s to the Rugby World Cup,” the coach explained.
Erasmus, three of his assistant coaches and a group of players went straight from the stadium to the airport to fly to New Zealand, where they joined 13 players and some members of management who left on Thursday.
“We will fly a few more players and management over on Sunday and perhaps some more players on Monday, so that we’ll have a squad of around 34 in New Zealand. We are not returning to South Africa after the Test in Wellington and will remain in New Zealand for a camp before we go straight to Argentina to face the Pumas,” said Erasmus.
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