The Springboks don’t just want to be the best team in the world, Rassie Erasmus wants to have the best two sides.
That is according to former Scotland scrum-half Rory Lawson, who gave some insight into the head coach’s “psychology”.
Erasmus has played a key role in South Africa’s rise to the top of the sport, guiding them to successive Rugby World Cups in 2019 and 2023.
50 players used
The Boks are looking for an unprecedented three-peat in Australia in 2027 and they have already started that process by handing 50 players an opportunity in 2024.
The Springboks head coach understands the need to overhaul their squad ahead of the next World Cup, given that the majority of their 2023 side are in their 30s, but Lawson believes that there is more to their rotation.
Having spoken to centre Jesse Kriel, who competes with Lukhanyo Am for the number 13 jersey, the ex-playmaker says that South Africa’s intention is to make sure their two best 23s are ahead of anyone else in the world.
“One of the big things is Rassie’s psychology. I spoke to Jesse Kriel after that Springboks game up at Murrayfield and he just said: ‘Look, Rassie has said to us as a squad that we want to be the two best teams in the world. We don’t know who our number ones are, we don’t know who our number twos are. We have a squad here that can put together two teams that can be the best team in the world’,” Lawson told The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast.
“The psychology of that even when you ring the changes, it’s just another opportunity and these guys understand that they’ve got to step up.”
Rotation
That comment certainly stands up if you look at the recent Autumn Nations Series when the Springboks made mass changes following their 32-15 win over Scotland.
Of the XV that faced England a week later, only three players remained – Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Eben Etzebeth – from the success at Murrayfield.
However, there was consistency in performance as they triumphed at Twickenham, emerging 29-20 triumphant to set them on their way to an unbeaten northern hemisphere tour – their first since 2013.
That came after they lifted the Rugby Championship trophy for the first time in five years, cementing their status as the best team in the world.
Lawson was joined on the panel by former Ireland wing Shane Horgan, who was also full of praise for the Springboks.
Horgan believes that their trophy haul under Erasmus, which includes two World Cups and as many Rugby Championships, is evidence that their style produces success.
“They play the best type of rugby. I know they’re evolving their game at the moment but, when it comes to World Cups and Rugby Championships, where you have to win and it’s all on the line, and you might have an emotionally draining game the week before, their style is best suited to that,” he said.
