The Springbok coach said a passionate Ellis Park crowd could create almost tangible pressure on their own team.
The crowd at Ellis Park during a previous Rugby Championship game. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images
While history will not play much of a role, the altitude and passionate crowd at Ellis Park could favour either side when the Springboks take on England on Saturday.
It is the first time the teams have clashed in Johannesburg since their titanic game in June 2018, when England surged to a 24-3 lead before the Boks clawed their way back and won 42-39.
Since then, South Africa have won five of the last eight Tests between the sides. Those victories include the 2019 World Cup final (32-12) and the 2023 World Cup semi-final (16-15).
The Springboks are also on a three-game winning streak against England. They have not lost to the Red Rose team at Ellis Park since 1972.
History means nothing
Most of the England squad have not played at Ellis Park. They have prepared for the high altitude by training on watt bikes, wearing what are called portable hypoxic generators, which restrict the oxygen available to them.
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus said he expected England players to adjust in time.
“They last beat us there in 1972. That was the year I was born,” Erasmus said.
“Then again, Australia hadn’t beaten us there [since 1963], and then they beat us there last year. It’s tough to say history plays a big part at Ellis Park.
“It’s on the day, who’s the team, who’s the referee, is there wind, who are the assistant referees, does the captain communicate well with the referee, are we syncing quickly enough? Do we get dominance or them?”
The Springbok coach said while the memories of the England 2018 and Australia 2025 games were fresh, every field is the same size and teams do not think about defending history as much as they plan to beat their opponents on the day.
“It’s such a fast game, the ball travels further, it travels high with box kicks. Even though both teams will be adapted to the altitude, you still get more tired. So how you use the subs is pretty important.”
He said passionate crowds at Ellis Park and Loftus create almost tangible pressure on their own side when the Springboks aren’t doing well.
Rivalry between the Springboks and England
Erasmus said the rivalry against England is historic, referring to how England broke South Africa’s 17-Test winning streak in 2002 while he was a player.
“I played in the 1999 World Cup where Jannie de Beer dropped five drop goals and [won the quarter-final]. And they took some glory away from us in the way they play.
“We had some World Cup finals against them and some pretty important games. Some were one-pointers.”
He said England probably have more player depth than South Africa, though neither has as much as France.
