Rassie Erasmus: 'We might strike them in a vital play-off game'
REACTION: Coach Rassie Erasmus believes South Africa has gained valuable intel on an “improved” Wallabies side ahead of next year’s World Cup in Australia.
The World Cup champions were upset 38-42 by the Wallabies on Sunday in Perth, with Erasmus’s decision to rest a slew of first-choice players seemingly backfiring.
South Africa were completely outplayed for most of the one-off Test by a rejuvenated Wallabies, who are on a five-match unbeaten streak under new coach Les Kiss.
The match was played amid a febrile atmosphere with a near-capacity crowd at the 60,000-seat Optus Stadium, which will open the 2027 World Cup in almost exactly one year.
The Springboks hope to be the first side to win three straight World Cup titles and could at some stage face the Wallabies, who are building momentum after a long period in the wilderness.
“Australia is a good team; they definitely have improved since Les has been there,” Erasmus said after South Africa lost for just the second time against Australia in the past seven matches between the teams.
“They’re the World Cup host. We might strike them in a vital play-off game, and it’s nice to have a taste of them.
“So I’m not going to say lessons learned, but I think it was a valuable experience for us what happened tonight.”
Erasmus was full of praise for Wallabies head coach Les Kiss and his predecessor, Joe Schmidt.
“I’m big friends with Joe and Les, and they’re great, detailed guys. With Les being at Ulster, I know the Irish system is very technical…”
“It’s the small details they get right. The line-outs: they don’t make a mistake there. They always fill the field on defence. There are always numbers on their feet.
“I think the threat where we thought they would be really great was at the breakdown. I thought we nullified that in a big way.
“But they’re a really technically sharp, well-coached team. We normally find it difficult against a team that don’t miss their roles at the breakdown and stuff. So they’re difficult to play.”
Additional sources: AFP & @RugbyPass
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