Rassie Erasmus emphasized the importance for the Springboks of playing home matches in 2026, especially the third game against the All Blacks, which will allow them to avoid losing the series.
Erasmus explained that the series is extremely important for the team, which they desperately want to win. After losing the first game and winning the second, the team decided to keep the squad, considering it the best decision for one of the key matches of the series.
He noted: 'We cannot win (the series) this Saturday, but we can guarantee that we won't lose it, as the last match will be either a draw or (a complete victory in the series). Therefore, we just feel that this is the best team to achieve our goal this weekend.'
Next week, the 'Greatest Rivalry' tour will conclude in Baltimore, making the match at the FNB stadium near Soweto the last for the Boks in the country in 2026. Erasmus added: 'This is our last match on South African soil in 2026. We would like to give our fans a victory.'
If the team does not resolve its defensive issues, the All Blacks may take advantage of it. In the first two matches, the All Blacks repeatedly caught the Boks off guard in wide areas where an unprotected player was always present. The Kiwis scored nine points against four South Africans.
Erasmus commented on the Kiwis' game, noting: 'They were brilliant in the wide areas. That is what they do very well under Dave Rennie. Under his attacking coach, they are hard to stop.'
He also spoke about Mike Blair, the former Scottish midfielder recruited by Rennie: 'Their two halves were the result of individual defensive errors. They beat us and outsmarted us in the other two, and we must be ready for that. So this is an area where we must improve.'
Furthermore, Erasmus stated that the South Africans had to work harder for their points than their opponents because the Kiwis have players who individually surpass the Boks players physically: 'Undoubtedly, that is something we must fix.'
Erasmus formed a starting lineup that differs only slightly from the squad that won in Cape Town. Damian Willemse was replaced by Cheslin Kolbe at fullback, and Kurt-Lee Arendse plays on the flank instead of Kolbe. Recently, before last week's match, Erasmus fielded a reserve front line consisting of Gerhard Steenkamp, Dion Fourie, and Thomas du Toit in the starting lineup, while Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, and Vilko Lou played on the bench.
Erasmus explained how this was possible: 'We did it, it worked. I see that there was some issue with this. But an hour before the match, when you submit your player list, if they are in your 23-man squad, you can change the entire bench and start other guys if you want.'
He confirmed the legality of this action: 'It complies with the rules of the game. Frankly, we thought it would be a very wet match, and there is no doubt that heavier players scrum better on heavy fields, and lighter ones on firm fields. This weekend we plan to stick to this starting lineup.'
