Rassie Erasmus shared details of the Springbok team's training philosophy, which ensures the national team's long-term success by emphasizing high intensity regardless of the player's age.
Previously, there was a practice where Rassie Erasmus deliberately slowed down the pace of Springbok training sessions so that experienced athletes could enter matches in peak condition. However, this approach has been completely abandoned.
Ahead of the upcoming Nations Cup match against Wales at Kings Park, the Springbok coach spoke about the key principle of World Cup success: creating such a demanding environment where age, reputation, and experience become less significant than actual performance.
Erasmus admitted that when he first took over the team in 2018, the priority was retaining older players. He recalled that in previous teams, the training pace was slowed down so that older players were ready for Saturday matches, but noted that the quality of the training itself was lacking then.
Now, Erasmus and his coaching staff insist on maintaining an intensity consistent with international matches throughout the week. They believe this regimen is beneficial for both experienced international players and young talents aiming to make the squad.
According to Erasmus, if players maintain high intensity and avoid injuries, their age ceases to be an obstacle because only the result is evaluated: 'Your age effectively doesn't matter if you have the same results as a young player.'
This philosophy has become the foundation of the deep Springboks squad, where newcomers undergo a kind of daily audition, battling World Cup winners before earning a spot in the national team. Erasmus noted that some young players initially struggled due to the sharp increase in intensity but later adapted to the required level.
He believes the result is a team where veterans remain in excellent shape thanks to daily training at the level of international matches, while rising stars join the squad already hardened fighters long before their international debut.
Thanks to this, Erasmus can more confidently give opportunities to new faces (four Bok debuts are expected on Saturday). For Springbok coaches, selection is not a leap into the unknown, as players are tested daily against some of the best in the world.
Erasmus added that if any senior players start having difficulty with the pace of play or training, they will see young players remaining with the team in training, allowing them to get 'the best of both worlds.'
Despite the exciting events that took place during the Nations Championship tournament, Rassie Erasmus emphasized that the Springboks team does not intend to abandon its core playing philosophy. He explained why the team adheres to its proven style.
The first round of the debut Nations Championship concluded with an impressive number of tries: 54 touchdowns were scored in six matches as teams fought for bonus points. Nevertheless, the Springboks will maintain their approach to series matches.
Coach Rassie Erasmus noted that he witnessed 'beautiful football' at the start of the hemisphere battle. He observed that there were many thrilling moments and many games opened up. However, he pointed out that during one weekend, the team scored more touchdowns in the mauls than in the entire Six Nations tournament.
Erasmus stated that regardless of whether the teams were chasing bonus points, the main goal in a series match is to win. He added that disrespecting this principle would likely lead to defeat, and victory remains the most important indicator for them.
The results showed the northern hemisphere having an advantage over the southern: Ireland beat the Wallabies in Sydney, and Scotland defeated the Pumas in Buenos Aires. However, Erasmus believes that the Rugby Championship teams will improve their play. He noted that Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and themselves are in a similar situation, being 'a bit rusty' before the new season.
According to Erasmus, Southern Hemisphere teams usually require one or two matches to find cohesion. He cited the example of Argentina and mentioned that although Scotland played well and beat England in the Six Nations, the Pumas have difficulties because many of their key players play for teams in France, England, Japan, and other countries. Furthermore, they did not have a preparatory match because their playmaker and coach had just returned after participating in Barbarians matches.
In the game against England, in Erasmus's opinion, the situation was tense at halftime. After receiving a yellow card in the first half, the opponents closed the gap on them, and after two yellow cards at the end of the game, the distance increased. Therefore, these factors must be taken into account when assessing the outcome of the match. The coach stressed that team spirit was demonstrated very brightly, which is critically important since it usually takes several games to achieve synchronization before the Rugby Championship or the 'Greatest Showdown' tour this year.
Erasmus reiterated that suddenly stepping into a series match after seven months of inactivity is extremely difficult. He concluded that the game against England is in the past, and the players' upcoming weekend will require quick adaptation, similar to what the team did last week, to ensure a fast start that will be determined by intensity and intent, rather than necessarily by scoreboard results.
Following a convincing victory over England at Ellis Park, which dispelled any doubts about the Springboks being the best team in the world, coach Rassie Erasmus can freely conduct experiments with his squad in the next two Nations Cup matches.
The Boks secured a confident win with a score of 45-21, demonstrating that they remain the benchmark of world rugby. The team started the campaign strongly, scoring seven touchdowns and showing excellent interaction between the forwards and the backline.
Despite signs of similarity to last year's match against Australia early in the game at Ellis Park, when England managed to come back just before halftime, a change in attitude after the break allowed the South Africans to regain the advantage. They did not allow their intensity to drop, defending accurately and attacking confidently and purposefully.
Even with injuries to key players such as captain Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth, who were forced off the field, the team demonstrated a high level. Cameron Hanekom, who played one game, and debutant Paul de Villiers stepped in for them. Erasmus and his assistants had to reorganize the line, but even these late substitutions could not destabilize the team.
This testifies to the exceptional nature of the squad, where players can easily integrate into the game without appearing uncertain in their roles. De Villiers performed excellently in the ball contest, while Hanekom, despite playing out of his primary number 8 position, made several powerful runs and important tackles.
Since there are upcoming matches against Scotland and Wales, as well as another meeting with Argentina, the Springboks no longer have to prove their superiority to the world. They have already beaten England and previously overcome all these opponents.
This makes the upcoming test matches an ideal opportunity for the Boks' coaches to continue investing in young athletes, including midfielder Wusi Moyo and winger Jaco Williams, giving them valuable experience at the Test level before the Rugby Championship against the All Blacks. By the time this series arrives, these players will have gained additional experience and, if needed against the Boks' oldest rivals, will be ready to replace veterans.
Unfortunately, the injury to Riley Norton was a missed opportunity, as he could have been another suitable candidate to gain experience in the upcoming matches. The world champions once again showed why they are at the top of the game, and why the depth of their squad inspires envy in world rugby. Despite the absence of several front-row players, they still had too much strength for England.
Rassie Erasmus states that the Springboks team should not succumb to public opinion that England will be easily defeated in the match scheduled for Ellis Park on Saturday (starting at 17:40).
England concluded its worst season in the Six Nations, which included a first defeat to Italy, and the final was marked by a tough loss to France in Paris. The coach explained that it is easy to accept a mistaken opinion based solely on past results, statistics, news articles, TikTok videos, or podcasts if thorough preparation is not conducted.
He emphasized that situations in rugby can change rapidly, and a week is a long time, let alone several months. Erasmus recalled an instance where the Boks lost to the team in Albany, New Zealand, with a score of 57:0 in 2017, and a week later suffered a defeat to the same team in Cape Town.
Erasmus continued, mentioning that five months after several heavy defeats in the Rugby World Cup, the team traveled to the World Cup in Japan and won. Last year, Australia defeated them at Ellis Park, after which the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup.
Furthermore, Thomas du Toit, who returned from the English Premier League after three years away, warned his teammates about the high level of play of the English players. He noted that they understand that England has come here to win and desire this victory just as much.
This Saturday, the Boks return to Ellis Park to host England, closing the circle with the 2018 match at the same venue. It was in that match, where the Springboks lost to Eddie Jones' England with a score of 42:39, that Erasmus first achieved a victory as the coach of the Springboks.
When asked if he still had the same hunger, he replied: 'My biggest fear is probably not losing, because in sports you will lose games—we lost several last year, and the year before that too.' He clarified: 'My biggest fear is not the end of coaching or inevitable defeats. My biggest fear is related to damaging the special cohesion we have in South Africa. It gives me a rush of adrenaline; I am afraid of losing that. That is why we work so hard.'
Erasmus explained that being in the camp to prepare for games is his 'safe place'. He added that the period from December to January after the November games is dedicated to watching a large amount of rugby and planning succession. During this time, when the team is not in camp, there is time for reflection and assessing the situation. Returning to the camp brings energy because the players, coaching staff, and all the personalities with whom the team has gone through good and bad times are gathered there. It is there that he analyzes ups and downs, difficult periods, to prepare for new great moments.
