Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus firmly responded to claims that South African players are committing illegal actions during scrums within the greatest rugby rivalry.
Erasmus refuted suggestions that South Africa intentionally 'slipped through' the scrum during the 33-26 victory in the second match of the great rivalry in Cape Town against New Zealand. He expressed dissatisfaction with the narrative surrounding the Boks' scrum and insisted there was no reason for his forwards to suddenly change tactics in the starting position or engage in deliberate 'rolling'.
Although the Boks gained fewer scrum advantages on Saturday than in the first match, it still provided a strong foundation for the home team and helped them level the series, which is not yet over.
Questions on Technique from All Blacks Coach
All Blacks coach Dave Rennie questioned the technique of the world champions in the scrum, stating that referee Angus Gardner stopped them when they shifted further left from their mark. After the loss, Rennie noted: 'We will provide feedback on this; it remains an issue for us that they can slip through and pass directly through our tighthead.'
The New Zealand coach raised the issue of 'slipping' in the scrum for the first time after the first match. He added: 'There are several technical points we will share again, but I think ultimately both teams were able to play in the scrums, and I think Angus did a great job. The scrums were better tonight (Saturday).'