VIDEO: Rassie stirs up 'crazy' memory to warn South Africa
CARDIFF, WALES: Rassie Erasmus has witnessed both extremes of the Wales-South Africa history, from the record drubbing the Boks handed out in 1998 to the stunning Welsh redemption victory just a year later.
That is why South Africa’s coach says his side cannot be complacent heading into their last match on tour at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday.
Erasmus was part of Nick Mallett’s Springbok side that defeated Wales in the biggest Springbok victory ever recorded over the Welsh.
June 27, 1998, will always stand out as one of the darkest days in Welsh rugby history as Wales were humbled 13-96 by the Boks.
On that day, Pretoria’s rugby citadel (Loftus Versfeld) awaited a Welsh side riddled by pre-tour withdrawals, injuries, and organisational mayhem, not helped by uncertainty over who would be handed the coaching job.
Welsh rugby was mired in turmoil with disputes over club funding, battles around introducing central contracts for star players, and even murmurs of a potential breakaway.
Amid the chaos, the touring side at least managed a 49-11 win over Zimbabwe, but the 13- 96 humiliation that followed in Pretoria still stings. It could easily have been worse: only a spilt pass by Springbok hooker Naka Drotske in the final movement prevented Wales from conceding a 100-pointer.
The tour then unravelled completely. Losses to the Emerging Springboks, Border Bulldogs, Natal Sharks, and the Falcons drained confidence and bodies, as injuries piled up.
And waiting for them was a South African team at the peak of its powers – widely considered one of the best in the world and riding a 17-match unbeaten streak.
Seven of the Springboks’ 15 tries came in the final 20 minutes.
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There was more eye-popping stuff to follow after the final whistle. The South African press were incredulous during the post-match press conference when the Welsh coach, Dennis John, predicted Wales would beat the Springboks within a year.
Perhaps more incredulous was that it actually happened, Graham Henry presiding over a 29-19 win at a half-finished Millennium Stadium in June 1999.
Erasmus once again ran out at flank in front of 27,000 spectators, and one day short of a year since the record hiding, Wales recorded an unforgettable victory against the Boks.
It brought Gary Teichmann’s reign as South Africa’s captain to a shuddering halt, and months later, after failing at the World Cup, Mallett was also on his way out the door.
On Thursday, Erasmus was reminded of these two games and asked what his memories were of being part of that famous victory and losing a year later at the stadium where the Boks are playing on Saturday.
“That was in ‘98, but then the next year they beat us. That is how crazy it is,” Erasmus responded.
“But hey, I don’t think it is going to be anything like that in two days. I think it is going to be a grind.
“And look, what do these guys have to lose, other than manning up and putting a marker down and saying, ‘Here we are, we are going to show you against the Springboks’.
“I think that is what the Welsh team is going to do.
“So yes, I remember that game. And I played the next year, and we lost, so that’s how quickly things change.”
The class of 1998
South Africa: P Montgomery, S Terblanche (M Hendricks 49), A Snyman, P Muller (H Honiball 44), P Rossouw; F Smith, J van der Westhuizen (W Swanpoel 44); R Kempson, J Dalton (N Drotske 66), A Garvey (O le Roux 66), K Otto, M Andrews (B Skinstad 42), J Erasmus, G Teichmann, (capt, A Aitken 61), A Venter.
Tries: Rossouw (3), Montgomery (2), Terblanche (2), Venter (2), van der Westhuizen, Otto, Smith, Hendricks, Erasmus, Skinstad; cons: Montgomery (9); pen: Montgomery.
