The Springbok boss has overseen 39 Tests as director of rugby and 60 as head coach.
Rassie Erasmus is set to achieve another milestone. Picture: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
Rassie Erasmus is set to oversee his 100th Test at the helm of the Springboks when South Africa take on New Zealand in the fourth and final Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test in Baltimore on Saturday (kick-off 11.10pm).
This comes after acting as director of rugby when Jacques Nienaber served as head coach for 39 Tests from 2020 to 2023, and then acting as head coach in 60 Tests from 2018-19 and again from 2024.
Boks win 73.7% under Rassie
Earlier this season, Erasmus broke the record for most Tests as Springbok head coach – previously held by Jake White, who had 54.
In May, Erasmus received the National Order of Ikhamanga in Gold by the Presidency, which recognises South African citizens who have excelled in the fields of arts, culture, literature, music, journalism and sport.
Under Erasmus, the Springboks won the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cups. They also won the 2021 British & Irish Lions series, as well as the 2019, 2024 and 2025 Rugby Championships. The 2024 and 2025 titles marked their first back-to-back Rugby Championship crowns.
In those 99 Tests during his tenure since 2018, the Springboks have won 73 matches, drawn one and lost 25, for a win rate of 73.7%.
Erasmus to make milestone with a win?
The Springboks are now set to challenge for their first full-length Test series victory against the All Blacks in 30 years.
The All Blacks won their first and only series on South African soil 2-1 in 1996. The Springboks now lead the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series 2-1 after bouncing back from a 33-16 defeat at Ellis Park to win 33-26 in Cape Town and 29-24 in Soweto.
It’s an unassailable lead, with the Springboks now only playing to prevent a draw in neutral territory.
Erasmus made just two changes to the team – Damian Willemse coming in for the injured Cheslin Kolbe and Morné van den Berg replacing Cobus Reinach in the starting XV.
The coach said they would not be affected by an expected lower turnout of South African fans, after coming from a near-capacity FNB Stadium – Africa’s largest sports arena.
“We saw last weekend how South Africa supported us. After we lost the first game, some people turned against us. But the majority stayed positive and supportive. We remember those things, and we will play for them,” he said.
