Erasmus’ latest post says Springboks “understand” and “agree” with criticism
South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has said his side “understand, agree and won’t complain” about the “deserved negativity” they are receiving.
The Springboks have now lost three matches on the bounce, two against Australia and one against the All Blacks, and have faced a lot of criticism from home and abroad. Erasmus, who has stayed in South Africa while Jacques Nienaber’s side play in Australia, has said on Twitter that the team did not complain about the “credit and positive comments” they received when they were winning by two or three points, so they will have the same response now that they are losing by the same margins.
South Africa lost by two points against the All Blacks last Saturday and in their first Test against Australia this year. Both matches were decided by long-range kicks in the dying embers of the game, with the Wallabies’ Quade Cooper kicking his penalty in the final play of the game. Though they were comfortably beaten by Australia in their second Test, they were mere seconds from winning the other two Tests, which is perhaps why Erasmus is not getting hysterical about his side’s slump.
He wrote: “When we were winning with 2 or 3 points we were not complaining about the credit and positive comments we received, so please be sure that we understand, agree and won’t complain when we get the deserved negativity when we lose with a few points!!”
When we were winning with 2 or 3 points we were not complaining about the credit and positive comments we received, so please be sure that we understand,agree and wont complain when we get the deserved negativity when we lose with a few points!!
— Rassie Erasmus (@RassieRugby) September 28, 2021
South Africa have another bite of the cherry against the All Blacks this Saturday on the Gold Coast, when the two sides meet in the final round of this year’s Rugby Championship. Though Ian Foster’s side have already won the Championship, it is hard to imagine that this match will be any less intense than their last match, as this is one of rugby’s fiercest rivalries.
