Rassie's surprising take on the Nations Championship log race
The introduction of the Nations Championship will bring something entirely new to international rugby: a league table where every Test match carries points, standings matter, and bonus points could ultimately decide who reaches the final.
Yet despite the significance of the new competition, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus insists South Africa will not alter its approach.
The world champions begin their Nations Championship campaign knowing that tries scored, bonus points earned and group standings could prove decisive over the course of the tournament.
However, Erasmus revealed that the Springboks have no intention of chasing bonus points at the expense of what has made them successful.
For a team that has built its reputation on winning knockout rugby and peaking at World Cups, the concept of managing a Test season around a league table remains unfamiliar territory.
“We’ve never played a competition with the Springboks, apart from maybe the World Cup, where you get log points for Test match rugby,” Erasmus explained.
“It’s almost just been world rankings, and to be honest with you, we just want to try and win every match.”
The Nations Championship introduces a structured format in which teams accumulate points throughout the July and November windows, with standings determining qualification for Finals Weekend. Bonus points are also available, potentially rewarding teams that score tries or lose by narrow margins.
Given New Zealand’s habit of running up large scores at home and the possibility that points difference or bonus points could become a factor, Erasmus was asked whether South Africa would need to become more attack minded.
His response was clear.
The Springboks remain focused on the bigger picture: building squad depth, refining their game model and ensuring a larger group of players can execute the team’s style when the next Rugby World Cup arrives.
“We’re doing things how we do it in Springbok rugby,” he said.
“I don’t think we really see this as a competition. We see it as a next Test match, and a next Test match, and a next Test match.”
That philosophy has underpinned South Africa’s success during the Erasmus era. Rather than targeting specific tournaments, rankings or records, the Boks have consistently focused on the immediate challenge in front of them.
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For Erasmus, that mindset will not change simply because a log table now exists.
“I think if you only go full out to try and win this, it’s probably not the thing that most people want to hear, but we want to beat England, then beat Scotland and then beat Wales,” he said.
“And I think they want to do the same with us.”
The Springbok coach also questioned whether chasing bonus points is truly in keeping with the nature of Test rugby, where margins are often tight and victories are hard-earned.
“Going for bonus points in those things, I don’t know if that’s really Test match rugby,” he said.
“We just want to win every single Test match, even if it’s by one point, and play the rugby we want to play, which makes our fans and ourselves proud.”
His comments offer an intriguing glimpse into how the Springboks will approach the inaugural Nations Championship.
While other teams may calculate bonus-point scenarios and keep one eye on the standings, South Africa appear determined to stick to the formula that delivered back-to-back World Cups: focus on the next opponent, win the next Test, and let the table take care of itself.
For Erasmus, nothing has changed.
The Springboks have never played for bonus points. They have always played to win.
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