Rassie Erasmus satisfied with Springboks’ year as player pool grows
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
South Africa fly-half Jordan Hendrikse diving to score a try during the 45-12 Autumn Nations Series international rugby union Test win over Wales on Nov 23. He is one of the new players given international experience by coach Rassie Erasmus in 2024.
PHOTO: AFP
CARDIFF – Coach Rassie Erasmus declared himself satisfied with South Africa’s international season that brought a dominant win in the Rugby Championship and an unbeaten run through the autumn internationals for the first time since 2013.
The Springboks thumped Wales 45-12 in Cardiff on Nov 23 to end the season with 11 wins from 13 Tests, their only blemishes being one-point defeats by Ireland and Argentina.
The latter of those was down to an extensive rotation policy that has seen the Springboks use 51 players in 2024 as Erasmus builds his squad depth with the 2027 Rugby World Cup in mind as they aim for a hat-trick of titles.
“My worry at the beginning of the season was how will the players take the swopping in and out, the building, and accepting that we are not (a squad of) 25 players, but 50 plus,” the 52-year-old said. “I was not sure if the older guys would understand that.
“But we were honest with them at the beginning of the season and they all bought into the plan, which is admirable.
“Numbers are one thing, but it was more important how those players slotted in and how we did not lose a lot of momentum. I would have thought that would be the case.
“It is not easy for the players when you are constantly chopping and changing, but they have handled it (not playing) well and we finished things off well as a group.”
The Springboks also had a change in the technical team, with former New Zealand fly-half Tony Brown added as attack coach and former Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery as defence coach.
“The way they slotted in and assisted the team was fantastic,” Erasmus said.
South Africa scored seven tries in their victory over Wales but were inaccurate at times.
Jordan Hendrikse, Aphelele Fassi, Elrigh Louw, Eben Etzebeth, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Franco Mostert and Gerhard Steenekamp all crossed the line, while Wales’ tries came via James Botham and Rio Dyer.
“It was a dominant performance for us but when you make so many changes, you are going to lack the finishing,” he said. “The effort the guys put out there, you have to give the players credit.”
South Africa do not have any Tests for the next seven months until they welcome Italy for two matches at home in July 2025.
In contrast to the all-conquering Springboks, Warren Gatland insisted he remained “motivated” to stay on as Wales coach despite overseeing a record 12th straight Test loss.
The 61-year-old Kiwi, in his second stint in charge, has not experienced a Test victory since a pool win over Georgia at the Rugby World Cup in October 2023. Wales finished the calendar year without a win for the first time since 1937.
“I definitely want to be here,” Gatland said. “It’s about letting the dust settle over the coming days.
“I’m motivated to want to be here... It’s been challenging the last couple of weeks, I’m only human.
“You don’t make a decision straight after a game. Let’s just see what happens over the next few days.”
The Welsh Rugby Union held its annual general meeting in Cardiff on Nov 24, when Gatland’s future will doubtless be discussed after the trio of November losses, including defeats by Fiji (24-19) and Australia (52-20).
Fiji were hammered by Ireland 52-17 on Nov 22. Australia, meanwhile, saw a Grand Slam bid on their Home Nations tour end a 27-13 loss to Scotland at Murrayfield on Nov 24. REUTERS, AFP
